#AP African American Studies: The Night Before Review 🚀

Hey there! Let's get you feeling confident and ready for your AP exam. This guide is designed to be your quick, go-to resource, hitting all the key points you need to know. We'll make sure you're not just memorizing facts, but understanding the big picture. Let's do this!

#1. The Power of Black Art & Global Impact

#Black Artists in the Freedom Movement ✊

• Black artists were essential to the 20th-century Black Freedom movement. They weren't just observers; they were active participants!
• They used various art forms—poetry, music, and visual arts—to express resistance against inequality.
• Their work brought the African American struggle to global audiences, amplifying the fight against oppression.
• They also strengthened similar efforts by Afro-descendants outside the U.S., creating a sense of global solidarity.

#Global Reach of Black Artists 🌍

• Nicolás Guillén, a Cuban poet, connected anti-Black racism in the U.S. and Latin America through his powerful writings. 💡
• He denounced segregation and racial violence in his poetry, bringing these issues to a wider audience.
• Guillén raised awareness about the shared experiences of Afro-descendants across the Americas, emphasizing the global nature of anti-Black racism.

#Latin American Poets vs. Segregation 🗣️

• Latin American poets like Guillén used their platform to speak out against segregation and racial injustice.
• They drew parallels between the struggles of African Americans in the U.S. and Afro-descendants in Latin America, highlighting the global struggle for racial equality.
• This created a sense of solidarity among oppressed communities, inspiring people to challenge systemic inequality and fight for social change.

Practice Question

Multiple Choice Question:

Which of the following best describes the role of Black artists in the 20th-century Black Freedom movement?

A) They primarily focused on aesthetic expression without engaging in political themes. B) They served as passive observers, documenting the events of the movement. C) They actively used their art to express resistance and bring the struggle to global audiences. D) They were primarily involved in supporting the economic aspects of the movement.

Correct Answer: C

#2. Jazz Protest Music & The Little Rock Crisis

#Jazz as a Tool for Protest 🎶

• Jazz musicians like Charles Mingus composed protest songs rooted in African American musical traditions.
• They used techniques like call and response, which is deeply embedded in African American culture.
• These songs drew global attention to white supremacist reactions to racial integration in the U.S., particularly the Little Rock Crisis (1957). 🏫
• Music became a powerful tool to raise awareness about racial injustice and galvanize support for the Civil Rights movement.

Practice Question

Multiple Choice Question:

What musical technique, rooted in African American cultural practices, did jazz musicians like Charles Mingus use in their protest songs?

A) Sonata form B) Call and response C) Serialism D) Minimalism

Correct Answer: B

#3. Faith, Music, and the Civil Rights Movement

#Faith and Music for Mobilization 🙏

• Faith and music were crucial for inspiring and mobilizing communities during the Civil Rights movement.
• Black churches served as organizing spaces and adapted various musical genres.
• Freedom songs emerged from hymns, spirituals, gospel songs, and labor union songs.
• Churches provided a platform for creating and sharing music that fueled the fight for racial equality. 🎶

#Freedom Songs as Inspiration 🌟

• Freedom songs were a source of inspiration for African Americans engaged in the struggle for equality.
• They sustained courage and resolve, especially for activists risking their lives.
• These songs unified activists, providing a sense of solidarity and shared purpose.
• Lyrics offered direction and guidance, helping to focus the movement's goals and strategies. They also communicated hopes for a more just and inclusive future.

#"We Shall Overcome" - An Iconic Anthem 🎤

• "We Shall Overcome" became an iconic anthem of the Civil Rights movement, as described by Martin Luther King Jr.
• Activists sang it during marches, protests, arrests, and even while in jail, demonstrating resilience and determination.
• The song became a rallying cry for the movement, inspiring political protest.
• King's 1966 speech, "We Shall Overcome," highlighted the profound connection between music and the struggle for racial justice.

Practice Question

Multiple Choice Question:

According to Martin Luther King Jr., what role did the song "We Shall Overcome" play in the Civil Rights movement?

A) It was primarily used as a lullaby to calm protesters. B) It served as a powerful symbol of resilience and determination. C) It was used to negotiate with segregationists. D) It was a song used to recruit new members to the movement.

Correct Answer: B

#4. Required Sources: A Closer Look

#"Little Rock" by Nicolás Guillén (1958) 📖

• Guillén's poem captures the intense racial tensions of the Little Rock Crisis, offering an international perspective on the Civil Rights Movement.
• It shows how the African American struggle for equality resonated globally, highlighting the interconnectedness of civil rights movements.
• The poem uses vivid imagery to depict the violence and injustice faced by Black children trying to attend school. 📝

A blues weeps tears of music in the fine morning. The white South shakes its whip and strikes. Black children go among pedagogical rifles to their school of fear. When they reach their classrooms, Jim Crow will be the teacher, Lynch's children will be their classmates and on each desk of each black child, there will be ink of blood, pencils of fire. This is the South. Its whip never ceases. In that Faubus world, under that hard Faubus sky of gangrene, black children can not go with whites to school. Or they can gently stay at home. Or (you never know) let themselves be beaten to martyrdom. Or not venture onto the streets. Or die by bullet and saliva. Or not whistle at the passing of a white girl. Or finally, lower their eyes yes, bend their bodies yes, kneel yes, in that free world yes, of which Foster Dulles speaks in airport after airport, while the white little ball, a graceful little white ball presidential, of golf, like a tiny planet, rolls on the pure, smooth, fine turf, green, chaste, tender, soft, yes. Well, now, ladies and gentlemen, young ladies, now children, now old hairy and bald men, now Indians, mulattoes, blacks, mixed-race, now think what it would be the whole world South, the world all blood and all whip, the world all white school for whites, the whole world Rock and all Little, the world all Yankee, all Faubus... Think for a moment, imagine it for just an instant.

#"Original Faubus Fables" by Charles Mingus (1960) 🎵

• Mingus's piece is a powerful musical protest against racial segregation and political oppression.
• It directly criticizes Governor Orval Faubus for trying to prevent the integration of Little Rock Central High School.
• The song uses dissonance and improvisation to mirror the tension and chaos of the era, making it a significant cultural artifact. 🎼

#Why We Can't Wait by Martin Luther King Jr. (1964) 📖

• King's book provides a firsthand account of the Birmingham campaign, offering insights into the strategies of the Civil Rights Movement.

• It emphasizes the importance of nonviolent direct action and civil disobedience in challenging segregation and discrimination.

• King's reflections highlight the power of organized resistance and the role of African American communities in driving social change. ✊

• Nightly mass meetings were held in various churches throughout the Negro community.

• These meetings generated power and unity within the community.

• Freedom songs played a crucial role in the movement:

  • Described as "the soul of the movement"
  • Adapted from old slave songs
  • Served to inspire and unite protesters

• Examples of freedom songs mentioned:

  • "Woke Up This Morning with My Mind Stayed on Freedom"
  • "Ain't Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me 'Round"

• MLK's reflection on the power of these songs:

  • They gave courage and helped people march together
  • Demonstrated the resolve of young protesters facing police dogs and fire hoses

• The chapter emphasizes how these songs bound the community together and provided spiritual strength to the movement.

#"Can't Turn Me Around" (Freedom Song) 🎤

• This song exemplifies the determination and resilience of the Civil Rights Movement.
• It demonstrates how music functioned as a form of nonviolent resistance and a way of communicating shared values and goals.
• It highlights the importance of cultural expression in social movements and provides insight into the emotional and psychological aspects of participating in the movement.

Practice Question

Free Response Question:

Analyze the role of art and music in the Civil Rights Movement, using specific examples from the provided sources. In your response, be sure to:

• Explain how artists used their work to express resistance and bring attention to racial injustice.
• Discuss the significance of freedom songs in mobilizing and inspiring activists.
• Analyze how the provided sources demonstrate the interconnectedness of civil rights movements across borders.

Scoring Breakdown:

• Thesis (1 point): A clear and defensible thesis that addresses the prompt.
• Evidence and Analysis (4 points):
  • 2 points for explaining how artists used their work to express resistance (e.g., Mingus's "Original Faubus Fables," Guillén's "Little Rock").
  • 2 points for discussing the significance of freedom songs (e.g., "We Shall Overcome," "Can't Turn Me Around") in mobilizing and inspiring activists and providing spiritual strength.
• Global Context (2 points):
  • 2 points for analyzing how sources demonstrate the interconnectedness of civil rights movements across borders (e.g., Guillén's international perspective on the Little Rock Crisis).
• Synthesis (1 point): Demonstrates an understanding of the broader themes and connections between the sources.

#5. Final Exam Focus: Key Topics & Tips

#High-Value Topics 🎯

• The role of Black artists in social movements: How they used their art to express resistance and bring attention to racial injustice.
• The significance of music in the Civil Rights Movement: Freedom songs, their impact, and how they mobilized activists.
• The global nature of anti-Black racism: How artists like Nicolás Guillén connected struggles in the U.S. and Latin America.
• Key events like the Little Rock Crisis: Understand the context and impact of these events.

Focus on the intersection of art, music, and social movements. These are frequently tested areas.

#Exam Tips & Strategies 📝

• Time Management: Don't spend too long on any one question. If you're stuck, move on and come back later.
• Read Carefully: Pay close attention to the wording of the questions. Underline key terms.
• Connect the Dots: AP questions often combine multiple concepts. Look for connections between different units.
• Use Evidence: Always support your answers with specific examples from the provided sources.
• Stay Calm: Take deep breaths and trust your preparation. You've got this! 💪

Alright, you've made it to the end! You're now equipped with the knowledge and strategies to tackle your AP African American Studies exam with confidence. Go get 'em! 🎉