Jazz and the African Diaspora

Paper Summary:

The paper describes the racial tensions and riots that led to the African Diaspora, when black performers, mostly jazz musicians, left the United States and went to Europe. The paper discusses how these African-American performers found the freedom in Europe to compose and perform their jazz music. The paper focuses on Josephine Baker, a black woman who was able to find acceptance, fame and fortune in Paris and throughout the world.

From the Paper:

"In the summer and fall of 1919, race riots erupted in Northern and Southern cities across America. Called the Red Summer of 1919, three violent episodes happened in Chicago, Washington, D.C., and Elaine, Arkansas. The resulting tension throughout the United States made it impossible for African-Americans and Whites to live together in peace. Musicians in bands suddenly found themselves estranged from their close friends, members of bands argued and refused to talk to each other. Bands split up and African-American groups were barred from performing in venues throughout the United States. This led to the African Diaspora, when black performers, mostly jazz musicians, left the United States and went to Europe, where segregation and prejudice were not prevalent, and surprisingly, found the freedom and success they had lacked in the United States, to compose and perform their jazz music."

Sample of Sources Used:

• African American Jazz Musicians in the Diaspora. Edwin Mellen Press. 20007. http://drlarryross.bizland.com/.
• Barnes, Linda L.; Fox, Kenneth; Adams, Eugene; Desir, Janice; Epson, Martin; Hackman, Melissa; Mason, Breai and Nnaji, Chioma. Healing in the African Diaspora Communities of Boston. Boston, Harvard University Press. <http://www.hds.harvard.edu/cswr/resources/print/rhb/first/07.Barnes_etal.pdf>.
• Brown, Karen McCarthy. "Women in African American Religions," Tracing Common Themes: Comparative Courses in the Study of Religion. Atlanta: Scholars Press, 1992. 242.
• Cooke, M and Horn, D (eds) The Cambridge Companion to Jazz, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 2002/
• Hill, Donald R. "Music of the African Diaspora in the Americas." Encyclopedia of Diasporas. New York, Springer US. 2005. <http://www.springerlink.com/content/n2575213m0lx0618/>.

More papers on Jazz and the African Diaspora:

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• Research Paper # 26124 : "Jazz and the Development of Black Culture"
• Analytical Essay # 144515 : "Jazz and the Blues"

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