Julian King
Caitlin Trombley, MA
SOC-225
May 7, 2023
The United States versus Billie Holiday
Lee Daniels, "The United States versus Billie Holiday," shows the life of the jazz singer Billie Holiday and her struggles with addiction, abuse, and the US government's targeted campaign against her. This film sheds light on race, politics, and music in America during the 1940s and 50s. "The United States versus Billie Holiday" is an important film highlighting the ongoing fight for civil rights and social justice, and showcases the strength of Billie Holiday as she overcomes the struggles seen at the time
“The United States versus Billie Holiday" is a biographical film that recaps the life of Billie Holiday, a renowned jazz singer who became a
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The film highlights the deep-seated racism and government overreach that have historically targeted Black Americans, particularly those who have used their platforms to speak out against injustice. It also underscores the ongoing struggles of those who suffer from addiction and substance abuse and the need for greater compassion and understanding in addressing these complex issues. Moreover, the film raises important questions about the intersection of art and activism and the ways in which cultural figures have been both celebrated and persecuted for their political beliefs. Ultimately, the issues raised in the documentary affect us all, as we continue to grapple with issues of race, justice, and power in American society. In terms of potential solutions, the film underscores the importance of continued activism and advocacy in fighting for civil rights and social justice and the need for greater awareness and understanding of the issues facing marginalized communities. By recognizing the systemic issues that have historically targeted individuals like Billie Holiday, and working to address them in a meaningful way, we can create a more just and equitable society for …show more content…
Through its vivid portrayal of Holiday's life and activism, the film highlights the ongoing struggles of Black Americans against systemic racism and government oppression. Additionally, the film underscores the importance of compassion and understanding in addressing complex issues like addiction and substance abuse, and the need for continued advocacy and activism in fighting for civil rights and social justice. While the film may have some weaknesses, it nevertheless serves as an important reminder of the ongoing work that must be done to create a more just and equitable society for all. By engaging with the issues raised in the film, and working to address them in our communities, we can honor the legacy of individuals like Billie Holiday and continue the fight for a better
In the documentary 13th by director Ava DuVernay, a racial stigma is investigated regarding the skin colors of those being incarcerated in the U.S. prison systems. Some questions being introduced in 13th leave us intrigued and those relate to the presidents at the time handling every situation differently. Those questions and many more will be answered along with a critique of the handling by those in power regarding incarceration. Many symbols with meaning are introduced in 13th, such as the whites power over the media, their exaggeration of the release of Birth of a Nation and the presidency itself. The documentary goes in-depth into the incarceration of many blacks, and it does that with the questions it asks.
Holiday became the 1st African American vocalist to work with a white orchestra, she appeared in a 1947 film ‘New Orleans’ with Louis Armstrong. Her autobiography was written with William Bufty in 1956. She performed for the last time in New York City on May
The documentary argues that the War on Drugs was a thinly veiled attempt to criminalize Black communities and disrupt the Civil Rights Movement. The film also examines the role of the media in perpetuating stereotypes of Black people as dangerous and
The criminal justice system is utilized as a means to maintain oppression of Black people even after slavery was abolished. Through minor offenses and possession of even small amounts of drugs, Black people are often subjected to long periods of incarceration. This serves as a way to enforce labor without slavery. The documentary aims to highlight the fact that the legacy of slavery and racial oppression continues to exist in the United States through the criminal justice system. According to Owusu-Bempah and Wortley's "Race, Crime, and Criminal Justice in Canada," “Aboriginal and black Canadians, are grossly overrepresented in Canada’s correctional institutions.
In the book, The New Jim Crow, by Michelle Alexander, readers are given a look at the long and extensive history of racism towards African-Americans. From there, the reader is shown how racism towards African-Americans has not gone away and is still very much common in modern society. Throughout the novel, Alexander argues and discusses how African-Americans are being discriminated against in the form of mass incarceration. “Mass incarceration refers not only to the criminal justice system but also to the larger web of laws, rules, policies, and customs that control those labeled criminals both in and out of prison” (Alexander 14). The War On Drugs can largely be put to blame for the increase in incarcerations.
Many of the speakers are frustrated at the fact that systemic racism is still very much alive, yet they remain professional. They discuss issues and problems in detail to give the audience a full understanding of the topic. Because of this and their desire to be direct, glossing-over details and censorship does not occur. The documentary has two main points of discussion: the history of oppression in America, and the prison industrial-complex. During the first half of the film, wherein the speakers discuss the discrimination of African-Americans, the tone used is factual and [smth].
So Brian Gibson's made-for-cable biography of the famed singer Josephine Baker stars Lynn Whitfield as the black American who found stardom and scandal as the toast of the Paris night-life during the 1920s and '30s.today i will be telling you about all of her accomplishments and the journey of her life. As an adolescent she became a dancer at the age of 16 she started touring with a dance troupe from philadelphia. Also in 1925 josephine attended the the Theatre des champs-Elysées in los
According to Ava DuVernay who explored the history of racial inequality throughout the engaging documentary, “13th”, our country continues on to having challenges when it comes to the matter of race, assumption of crime, and discrimination between white men and black men. A large number of african americans have been denied
Specifically, Starr's ethnocentric lens highlights the need for empathy and understanding in the fight for justice, while Kenosha's cultural relativist lens highlights the complexities of the Black Lives Matter movement. The novel demonstrates the importance of listening to and understanding different perspectives in the fight for
Influences from popular African American blues artist were noted to have had a huge impact on Elvis’ music career. Although many people today claim that Elvis had initially ‘stolen’ the African American sound of blues, Elvis has never denied their impact on his career. He has always acknowledged and respected the fact that African Americans had been making a similar sound of music prior to the beginning of his career. Despite the assumptions made about this ‘stealing’ of sound, the interviews Elvis appeared in substantiated the fact that he wasn’t intentionally stealing their sound, instead incorporating it in music his own way. The fact that white covers of African American songs often outsold the original kept America segregated and created competition between the two races when instead, music should have helped create peace and respect within both
Print. Geoffrey C., and Ken Burns. Jazz: A History of America's Music. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 2000. Print. Kallen, Stuart A.
An advocate of “fundamental social transformation”, this belief, combined with Ella Baker’s consistent confidence of change beginning within the local people of the movement, paved her path to becoming a life-time activist for civil liberties and equality among all Americans. (194) While she may be renown amongst Civil Rights enthusiasts, Baker’s involvement and impact on the movement remains relatively unknown to the majority of Americans. Barbara Ransby’s book Ella Baker and the Black Freedom Movement attempts to end this silence, and does so very convincingly. Throughout her book, Ransby points out example-after-example of how Baker is either directly or indirectly involved with many of the Civil Rights Movement’s most famous moments – creation of the NAACP, freedom rides, the SCLC, Birmingham, Albany, the SNCC, etc. After reading about her dedication and the sacrifices she made for the
Following recent events of racial profiling and even George Floyd's murder due to police brutality, and the resulting Black Lives Matter demonstrations, many educators and educational institutions have begun integrating anti-racism literature into their curricula to foster empathy and understanding among students from all backgrounds. Students can receive help in grappling with difficult questions of privilege, authority, and identities as well as in thinking critically about their role in advancing social justice by learning literature books like Toni Morrison's The Bluest Eye and Ta-Nehisi Coates' The Case for Reparations that have been incorporated in their curricula to shed light on such issues and bolster inclusivity and diversification among students (Simpson and Cremin 66). Consequently, beyond merely increasing awareness, literature can motivate change and action. Following George Floyd's murder, numerous literary associations and publishers committed to aiding Black authors and advancing diversity in publishing. This dedication to highlighting underrepresented voices and fostering diversity can affect lasting improvements within and outside of the field of
Nixon is infamous for his proposal of the “War on Drugs”— a crisis that made drug abuse seem more like a political issue and less of a health problem. This “war” essentially targeted minorities for drug possession, and combined the already standing issue of economic inequality and hypersegregation to allow people of color to be incarcerated at rates much higher than white people. This documentary targets political figures, ultimately holding them accountable for the unjust prison system. While some may think that this is political bias, all this document is doing is bringing up what people are afraid to address: some of the roots of systemic racism lie not so far in our past. By targeting political figures and comparing them to how mass incarceration developed as they were in office, 13th demonstrates a clear, concise understanding of systemic racism that allows the viewer to grasp the truth behind how the people who ran this country really
Introduction New Orleans Jazz is a genre of music during the 20th century that was in relation to the African American population. Two distinguished musicians, Louis Armstrong and Dizzy Gillespie, rose to fame with their musical talents in the jazz community. (Thesis) These two musicians from below the Mason Dixon line would acquire their popularity by performing nationwide, but their childhood, musical careers, and legacies would be totally different.