What does Motown Music have to do with the Civil Rights Movement?

Question

What connection do they have with each other? And what would be a good keyword to search this in the library?

Answer 1

Do a google search for motown and civil rights.

Motown founder bridged racial divide

Black History Month brings to mind Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks and other names we all know. Yet while Motown founder Berry Gordy Jr. is known as a successful businessman, he is not recognized as a major player in the civil rights struggle. He should be.

In producing hit records for African-American artists such as Diana Ross and The Supremes, The Temptations, Stevie Wonder and many others, Gordy did his part in the fight for racial equality at a time when King and other civil rights icons were leading the charge nationally.

He was able to use music as a way to reach into the homes of Americans and subtly create social change by putting African-Americans in a positive light on the nation's stage.

Gordy, who was born in 1929 in Detroit, grew up in a middle-class family. As a young man, he worked at Ford Motor Co., where he developed his business philosophy and learned the assembly-line method that he would later use to make Motown a success.

In 1957, along with his sister Gwen and another friend, Gordy wrote his first hit song, Reet Petite, for Jackie Wilson. This initial success led to greater ones, and he founded the record company Hitsville USA, in which he had two labels, Tamla and Motown. Gordy knew that in order to be successful, his artists needed to be more than good musicians. They also had to present themselves as gentlemen and ladies — well dressed, well groomed and well mannered.

To accomplish this, he developed the assembly-line approach to artist development. He had a Detroit socialite teach the young women how to walk on stage with poise and good posture. When it came to wardrobe, he called on the best designers, hair stylists and makeup artists because he wanted to create a successful image of clean-cut respectability.

Indeed, the All-American image paved the way for appearances by his artists on Dick Clark's American Bandstand, The Ed Sullivan Show and other variety shows. The Motown sound unified young people — black and white — who enjoyed listening to the same type of music and embracing the same dance trends.

Berry Gordy Jr. developed one of the most successful independent record labels in history. In 1990, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

One of Gordy's most important accomplishments, though, was his ability to use music as a way to bring about racial equality. He helped to create a climate in which people were willing to look at African-Americans as equals.

Lois Hatton is a columnist and inspirational speaker who lives in Brookings, S.D.

Answer 2

I think this is a really interesting question. Obviously, both were happening at the same time, and the changes in direction at Motown reflected things that were going on in the country. The Civil Rights movement was a grass roots movement with mostly Southern leaders. Motown was a black-run company in Detroit somewhat divorced from the civil rights movement but obviously responsive to it. But it was also a label that was attempting to "cross over" and sell black music to white people, which it did very successfully.

I would suggest reading some books on the history of Motown and Berry Gordy, and looking in the index for references to the Civil Rights movement and Martin Luther King. I have no idea what you'll find, but I'm sure there are some interesting connections.

Answer 3

I'm not sure about the keyword, but think about what Motown was--it was a black owned company that featured black artists doing black music. The civil rights movement was more than just a movement for actual civil rights, it was a time when black people started to focus on themselves and their culture and made a conscious determination that they and their culture had value. What is music but a cultural expression. What was Motown music, black culture and a symbol of black success, making it an icon in the black community.

Moreover a lot of it was great music.

Answer 4

I think Spellbound is spot on. In a very subtle yet direct way, the popularity of Motown helped break down racial and social divisions. keyword Barry Gordy + Civil Rights; Stevie Wonder + Civil Rights; The Temptations + Civil Rights; Smokey Robinson + Civil Rights; et al.

Answer 5

Motown released their only non-music album, "Great March on Washington", - which is very rare - featuring Martin Luther King's I Have A Dream. A copy (or at least the details) could be in the library.

Answer 6

both black, both angry, both on the bottom of the food line...