Here is your assignment for today. You will need your headphones to complete the first part.
1. Listen to Chuck D’s group Public Enemy perform “Fight the Power.” This song, released in 1989 by Motown Records, is an example of how “Social Soul” songs of the early 1970s had an impact on later Hip Hop tracks. Similar to “Freddie’s Dead,” “Fight the Power” was composed as a soundtrack for a film. In this case, it is Spike Lee’s Do The Right Thing which explores racial tension and the inequity of urban life in Brooklyn, New York. After listening, answer the following questions:
- Chuck D, the founder of Public Enemy, describes the influence of Curtis Mayfield during the interview you watched earlier. How is “Fight the Power” similar to Mayfield’s “Freddie’s Dead”?
- Think about the three songs we've listened to; "Fight the Power," "Freddie's Dead," and "What's Goin' On?" Which of the three songs is most important to you? Which one can you identify with the most? What do you like about the song in terms of its music, tone, and emotion? How does it convey its message?
2. Read Handout 6: Kerner Report. After reading the Kerner report, answer the following questions.
- What does the Kerner Report identify as the cause of civil unrest in American cities?
- The Kerner Report famously states “Our nation is moving toward two societies, one black, one white—separate and unequal.” Think about your own community today. Do any recommendations made in the report still apply today? Why or why not?
- How does this report relate to what you have learned regarding African-American life in the ghetto during the late 1960s and early 1970s?
