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Jazz And Devil Music Of The Harlem Renaissance

3859 Words16 Pages

Ahmira Miller
MUS-306W Music of Harlem Renaissance
Final Research Paper
The Harlem Renaissance is one of the most magical eras in Black history. Many believe it is because of the birth of blues and jazz music. But it is so much more than that; the Harlem Renaissance produced great works of literature, classical music, and orchestra. The Harlem Renaissance paved the way for the Black community and opened many new doors. The birth of jazz music was a pivotal point in the Renaissance. Jazz music was different from the traditional sounds of classical music; it had a unique sound. A different sound appealing to the Black community, but not to white-owned media. Jazz music became portrayed as unfavorable and, in other words, ‘Devil Music.’ Jazz music became associated with mental health disorders causing the Black community to be targeted in the health care system and to be misdiagnosed. This essay will explore how jazz was portrayed during the 1920s and associated with ill health, specifically mental health.
The medical profession produced several studies that associated jazz with mental illness and social deviance. Jazz music was taking America by storm and was changing the …show more content…

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