Disrupting Racism through the Lens of The Arts
In support of progressing Coastline's dedication to diversity, equity and inclusion, we will be hosting Dr. Ron from USC for this series of collaborative events, for faculty, staff and students. Hosted by Student Equity and Umoja. Questions? Contact studentequity@coastline.edu.
Disrupting Racism... Part I
From The Middle Passage to Antebellum Period
When the first parcel of Africans arrived on the shores in Virginia in 1619, they were joined with other poor and exploited Europeans as indentured servants. By the middle of the 17th Century, it had become clear that the Africans were going to be enslaved and the white man would be slave master. This period also ushered in a religious conversion of Africans (and Native Americans) into Christianity. Part of the conversion process involved the teaching of hymns to enslaved Africans which evolved into Negro Spirituals. The new song had a dual purpose, 1) to praise God, and 2) to plan escapes from plantations. This was the first example of art being used as a tool to disrupt racism.
Disrupting Racism... Part II
From Emancipation to Jim Crow
When President Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, it changed the lives of over 4 millions of enslaved Africans. While this proclamation was greeted with promise, it only freed those enslaved Africans who were in confederate states. Post Reconstruction would yield a host of musical styles including the blues, gospel, and jazz. Each of these styles produced a host of music that was used to resist racism. It was also during this period that we would experience what was known as the Harlem Renaissance. Black intellectuals including W.E.B. Dubois, Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, and many others began writing about the plight of the African American.
Disrupting Racism... Part III
From Civil Rights Movement to Hip Hop
The Civil Rights Movement was yet another pivotal period in American History. Post Reconstruction, African Americans found themselves fighting for their civil rights. This period also included consistent civil rights protest coupled with anti-Vietnam War sentiments. College campuses were brimming with protests against the war while African Americans protested against police brutality, lack of jobs, housing, and lack of quality education. More artists of several genres created art to protest the lack of civil rights afforded to African Americans. Those artists included Nina Simone, Charles Mingus, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye. In the late 1970s, the Hip Hop culture emerged yielding artists such as Afrika Bambaataa, DJ Kool Herc, Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five, Tupac, and a host of more contemporary rap artists such as Jay-Z, Nas, Chance The Rapper, Childish Gambino, H.E.R. and Kendrick Lamar.
Disrupting Racism... Part IV
Exploring Juneteenth: How Did Emancipation Really Impact The Enslaved African
- Date: June 15, 2023
- Time: 4 - 5pm (PST)
- Location: Online via Zoom | 4137630795
This lecture will address the dimensions of Emancipation and how it truly impacted the enslaved African. The session will also address the relevance of the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendment to the Constitution, the emergence of the industrial prison system, and the institution known at Jim Crow. This session like the previous sessions will view this era through the lens of the arts.
Join Event: Disrupting Racism through Art
About Dr. Ron
Dr. Ronald C. McCurdy is Assistant Dean of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and Professor of Music in the Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California (USC) where he served as chair of the jazz department for six years (2002- 2008). He has served as a consultant to the Grammy Foundation and the Walt Disney All- American College Band. McCurdy continues to tour the Langston Hughes Project. This multimedia presentation is based on Hughes’ poem, Ask Your Mama: 12 Moods for Jazz. In 2008 he premiered the orchestral version of The Langston Hughes Project with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra with rapper and television actor, Ice-T. McCurdy has also created or co-created two other interdisciplinary productions including, Letters From Zora (Hurston) and Shanghai Jazz: A Cultural Mix.
McCurdy is the co-author of The Artist Entrepreneur: Finding Success in a New Arts Economy (Rowman & Litterfield Publication 2019). He is co-author of a vocal jazz improvisation series titled Approaching the Standards, (Warner Bros. 2011) McCurdy authored, Meet the Great Jazz Legends (Alfred Publishing, 2010). He contributed chapters to two recent publications: Teaching Music in Performance Through Jazz: Vol. I (Gia Publication) and African Americans and Popular Culture (Edited by Todd Boyd, 2008). Dr. McCurdy is a performing artist for the Yamaha International Corporation.
UMOJA Community
Curious about Umoja? The Coastline College Umoja Community is a critical resource dedicated to enhancing the cultural and educational experiences of African Americans and other students. Most importantly, though, we strive for connection and a sense of unity.