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Jim Crow Laws In The 1920s

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During the 1920s America, Jim Crow Laws found a way of segregating whites and colored individuals. Seen as a dark period of time in America, Black communities were specifically targeted by Jim Crow. Not allowed the same freedoms as whites had, Jazz was seen as an opportunity to express themselves, giving opportunities for blacks to feel connected in a disconnected society, leading to a positive outlook on black communities. Jazz created less racial discrimination for black communities by creating an opportunity for blacks to be part of white businesses, including different races in recording sessions for jazz, and influencing the Civil Rights movement. With the popularity spike in jazz began to have, many white businessmen found this as an …show more content…

White musicians wanted to be part of the new jazz business. Many went out and created their own “white jazz” but others went and found a different alternative. White musicians would go and record jazz sessions with other black musicians. “This was the first racially integrated jazz recording session. Crossing the color line in Indiana–a state where the Ku Klux Klan was politically powerful in the 1920s–was potentially hazardous, even for something as anonymous as a recording session. Yet, what mattered to the individuals were the respective talents of the musicians involved ”(). It was not a normal thing for both races to participate in a recording session, especially when it came to recording in a racist state. But this didn’t stop musicians from continuing. Quickly the combined race jazz grew in popularity which led to more white musicians wanting to be more involved. The acceptance of both white and black musicians working together became apparent. “Monroe Berger who notes that jazz music created black-white contact where a black musician received full acceptance as an equal and was (often admired as superior) without condescension”(). The scene of both black and white musicians became more appealing as time went

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