Life Reflecting Sketchings

Ken Camell ll

Oct 6 2019

Afram 26

Critical Response Essay #1

The importance of leaving a written or verbal narrative is imperative to ensure melanated people will no longer be removed from history (Eurocentric perspective of time) or our story (Asiacentric perspective of time). To share our story is too resist.

On page 30 of Black Culture and Black Consciousness author Lawrence Levine clarifies "slave music regardless of origin was a distinctive cultural form and it was created or constantly recreated through a communal process". With this statement Levine clearly explains slave songs served as a Melanated social commentary or as I like to call them "Life Reflecting Sketchings".

Resist failing to voice the U.S and the Western World consistent  socio economic atrocities which ravage the quality of life for the majority of the Earth's human population. Resist staying silent about the blood sweat and tears Melanated people lost while building Colonial plantations and maintaining the U.S labor force ( chattel slavery, convict leasing, 3 strikes) .

Despite having ample reasons to stay pessimistic , songs expressing resilience while acknowledging the everyday struggle of surviving represents an organic form of resistance. Providing people with hope and reason to hold on to the possibility of rising above whatever obstacles hindering  progression is invaluable. Songs of upliftment convey spiritual support in times of despair (the valleys) and in times of joy (the peaks). It doesn't matter if its hectic work week or you are experiencing the loss of a loved one.

Whether in the form of art & entertainment (music ,film, sports)  or politics to defy the status quo through "distinctive cultural forms" (unconventional) expression is the epitome of resisting. These rad expressions are representations of how one person can make a difference and change people's perspective. Radical Melanated people such as ; Jack " The Galveston Giant" Johnson , W.E.B Dubois  ,Paul Robenson, Mahailla Jackson, Odetta , Billie Holiday, Leotyne Pryce, Lauraine Hainsberry, Paulie Murray , Nina Simone , Curtis Mayfield Bobby Seale & Huey Newton , Thommie Smith & John Carlos , Shirley Chisolm, Spike Lee ,Mae Johnson, Ryan Coogler, Kolin Kaepernick and Ava Duvernay are all testaments of resisting.

Levine reminds the readers that " the slaves oral tradition , their music and their religious outlooks served as a cultural refuge from the slave system".

Levine concludes the 3rd chapter with emphasizing the fact that  slave songs and spirituals are independent cultural forms therefore the reader can connect the dots between the blues , jazz , soul and hip hop and also understand how powerful music is.