How Did John Coltrane Influence The Civil Rights Movement

Since its early roots in New Orleans, Jazz has been essential part of American culture through its role in showcasing and contributing to America’s complex history. Throughout the years, Jazz artists have used improvisation and individuality, which are essential traits of the music, to keep the music celebrated and popular around the world. However, only few artists have used Jazz music to support social movements and used to influence people’s lives. Unlike others, I believe John Coltrane, was one of the greatest saxophonist, who portrayed his individuality through his belief in spiritual power of music and using his improvisation to change music style while influencing social issues. Coltrane was a deeply spiritual man who believed music was a vehicle for the

During 1950s and 60s, when Coltrane was also contributing significantly to the golden era of Bepop, America was going through one of the most important social movements of its history – the Civil Rights Movement. During 1963, Klun Klan Klux planted a bomb in a church in Alabama and that resulted in death of 4 people (Verity). Later that year, Dr. Martin Luther King gave the famous speech “I Have a Dream” (Tramell). These events fired a new spark in the civil rights movement and Coltrane also contributed to it through his music. In 1964, Coltrane wrote a number of songs dedicated to the cause. His song “Alabama,” which was released on Coltrane Live at Birdland , was especially gripping, both musically and politically (Tramell). The notes and phrasing of Coltrane’s lines are based on the words Martin Luther King spoke at the memorial service for the girls who died in the Birmingham bombing. Coltrane's “Alabama” sheds its sad mood for igniting energy in listener and reflecting the strengthened determination for justice. In a way, Coltrane’s music impacted people’s emotion and led them to join the