Jazz and Segregation
Though Jazz may not have been the most important factor when it comes to African-Americans receiving equality, it was definitely a significant one. Racism was running wild in the 1920s, people of color could not be in many of the same vicinities as white people, and the stage was one of them. For a long period of time, jazz musicians of color and white jazz musicians were not allowed to perform together in a public area. It was only at after-hour sessions that they would jammed together, as Louis Armstrong and Bix Beiderbecke did in Chicago back in the 20s.
When performing in some cities, artists, whether they do jazz or any other form of entertainment, needed a cabaret card, which was a way of ensuring that the artists stayed professional and didn’t fall to a life that had to do with drugs and alcohol. The card was, at the time $2 and if you didn’t have the card sometimes you couldn’t play. Artists such as Billie Holiday, Jackie Mclean, Thelonious Monk, and J.J. Johnson (all African-American) had their cabaret cards revoked a number of times. This took away some of their opportunities because they weren’t allowed to play at certain night clubs in certain cities.
Segregation in the South
Segregation in the south was especially bad. When on the road, black jazz bands would have to stay in black neighborhoods in order to stay safe. The Jim Crow Era was so accepted and embraced in the south that when Benny Goodman, during the 1930s, let Teddy Wilson, and then Lionel Hampton, be a part of his trio and quartets, it was national news for a short period of time. Then later, Artie Shaw hired Billie Holiday and Roy Eldridge, both of whom were often hindered by “Mr. Crow.”
Segregation in the North
The North was not as bad. Though there were few, certain areas in the north allowed black and white jazz musicians play together in front of an audience, who also happened to be integrated. Places like the Savoy Café in Boston and Café Society in New York. But, segregated stages were not completely accepted in the north, it turns out that those were two of the only places in those cities that would allow it.
The Civil Rights Movement
Leaders of The Civil Rights Movement would use jazz to bring both sides together, both sides being blacks and whites. Dr. Martin Luther King declared that jazz was “America’s triumphant music.” Wynton Marsalis, another jazz artist also stated "illustrate that American democracy and America's music share the same tenets and embody the same potential for change, hope and renewal."
Summary
Though the entertainment business was bias when it came to black jazz artists, it still opened up a lot of opportunities for them. It provided them with jobs, it was a part of their culture, and it helped them express their feelings about segregation. Songs like “Strange Fruit” by Billie Holiday are perfect examples of this. Jazz is an important part of history, and without it, music would not be the same.
