Rock 'N' Roll Music And The Civil Rights Movement

“Politics can be strengthened by music, but music also has a potency that defies politics.” This quote by Nelson Mandela summarizes the relationship between music and politics, and how important and unique their connection is. “This relationship is important because music has the power to enforce and the power to challenge politics”. Music has this power because it contains the potential to influence individuals, which can result in political movements, and even cause cultural change. The influence of music genre, Rock ‘n’ Roll, has heavily impacted the culture and society of America in several different ways. One of the most influential effects Rock ‘n’ Roll music has on America is its power to unite and divide individuals during troublesome periods. The unison and division of American citizens has been displayed several times throughout history, but perhaps the most important is shown in the Civil Rights Movement and the Vietnam War.

In the early 1950’s, the full influential force of Rock ‘n’ Roll music started to effect American politics by acting as

For example, Rock ‘n’ Roll music affected the Civil Rights Movement by eliminating the common prejudices whites had against blacks. The elimination of this negative perspective allowed African Americans to gain the basic rights an American should have and allowed to respectfully be viewed as equal. Another example is when Rock ‘n’ Roll music affected the Vietnam War by uniting the American public against the government is an antiwar protest campaign. The antiwar protest effect was amplified by Rock ‘n’ Roll musicians such as Bob Dylan and John Lennon. The songs these Rock ‘n’ Roll musicians produced contributed to the United States withdraw, resulting in peace. In the end, it is obvious that music has the power to change people and politics, which ultimately changes the