music

music

Phil Ochs and the legacy of singing journalism

Phil Ochs and the legacy of singing journalism

, , , Research
“In the heat of the summer/when the pavements were burning/the soul of a city was ravaged in the night/after the city sun was sinkin’.”                   – “In the Heat of the Summer” After the death of George Floyd on May 25, 2020, the city of Minneapolis erupted in protest, with police forces beating back protestors with tear gas and rubber bullets.  Related protests occurred in 140 other US cities, including Los Angeles, Detroit, Atlanta, New York and Las Vegas, resulting in violence, property damage and the deaths of at least four protestors.  The protests of summer 2020 eerily resembled the civil rights riots which swept much of the country during the mid-1960s.  Documentation of those riots was not left entirely … Continued
Protest Art and Music

Protest Art and Music

, , Frances Yates, Library Resources, Matt Dilworth
Protest as an expression for change can take many forms, from physical to economic to artistic.  Art and music have a rich history of conveying protest messages in unique and creative ways. Art A Brief History of Protest Art looks at artists from the Dadaists to Guerrilla Girls, and others viewed as “the most politically impactful artists of the last century.” An Incomplete History of Protest: Selections from the Whitney’s Collection, 1940–2017, includes themes such as Resistance and Refusal; Strike, Boycott, Advocate; Stop the War; and Abuse of Power. Art Responds to Women’s Suffrage: Pro and Con features American and British women cartoonists whose political art in that time period represented varied views of the issues. Articles accessible via the … Continued
The American myth of Stagolee

The American myth of Stagolee

, , , , , Website
On the evening of December 25, 1895, “Stag” Lee Shelton  was doing the 19th century version of a bar crawl when he entered the Bill Curtis Saloon in St. Louis.  He took a seat next to William Lyons, and they talked about a number of different things.  But when the subject switched to politics, Lyons and Shelton, who whipped up support for opposing parties, began hitting each other’s hats as a form of retaliation. Shelton ultimately broke the crown of Lyons’ derby hat.  Lyons asked for five bits (about $1.25) to replace it.  When Shelton refused, Lyons took Shelton’s Stetson hat.  Shelton promptly shot Lyons, took his hat back and walked out of the bar.  Lyons died of his injuries only hours later.  … Continued