Brittany Boisvert - Progressive Movement lyrics

Throughout time, movement has remained the defining element used to avoid being static. The forces previously used to manipulate individuals, especially African Americans, into accepting a lesser status in society, were beginning to evaporate against the flow of progressive movement. Upon the examination of the Second Great Migration (1940- 1970), the happenings of 1.5 million African Americans leaving the rural South and reestablishing in the West and North, epically historical events can be found directly relating to political and physical movement that stem from it. Due to abuse of power by the ‘ruling cla**' and the violation of civil rights in the black population, both political and physical movement became essential to the advancement of the African American during this time. Physical movement, or the marches and boycotts held to protest the violation of constitutional rights given to every citizen, regards of color, acted as a catalyst to the political movement, the creation of Congressional Acts and the Organizations used to uphold and maintain them. Present for the first time, was a shift in current. In order to preserve the energy derived from such flow, African American writers took advantage, and through the power of their words illustrated the transgressions and encouraged the movement required to expel them. 1940 - The Second Great Migration EVENT: The migration of more than 5 million African Americans from the South to the North. 1937: Blueprint for Negro Writing by Richard Wright EXCERPT: “Generally speaking, Negro writing in the past has been confined to humble novels, poems, and plays … They entered the Court of American Public Opinion … curtsying to show that the Negro was not inferior, that he was human, and that he had a life comparable to that of other people. June 25, 1941 – Fair Employment Act EVENT: President Franklin Roosevelt signed the Executive Order 8802 , to prohibit racial discrimination in the national defense industry. 1941: Quote from A. Philip Randolph EXCERPT: “Freedom is never given; it is won” December 1, 1955 - Montgomery Bus Boycott EVENT: A political and social protest campaign against the policy of racial segregation on the public transit system. 1955: Trouble in Mind by Alice Childress EXCERPT: “WILETTA: Colored folks ain't in no theater. You ever do a professional show before?” “JOHN: Yes, some off-Broadway…and I've taken cla**es.” “WILETTA: Don't let the man know that. They don't like us to go to school.” August 28, 1963 – March on Washington EVENT: One of the largest political rallies for human rights in the U.S. History , called for civil and economic rights for African Americans. 1963: I Have A Dream Speech by Martin Luther King, Jr. EXCERPT: “So I say to you, my friends that even though we must face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed – we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal." July 2, 1964 – Civil Rights Act of 1964 EVENT: The Civil Rights Act was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson. 1964: The Ballot or the Bullet Speech by Malcolm X: EXCERPT: “The political philosophy of black nationalism only means that the black man should control the politics and the politicians in his own community. The tie when white people can come in our community, and get us to vote for them so that they can be our political leaders and tell us what to do and what not to do is long gone. Those days are gone .” February 21, 1965 – Black Arts Movement EVENT: This particular movement was the artistic branch of the Black Power Movement , started by writer and activist Amiri Baraka. 1965: A Poem for Black Hearts by Amiri Baraka EXCERPT: “For Malcolm's words / fire darts, the victor's tireless / thrusts, words hung above the world / change as it may, he said it, and / for this he was k**ed, for saying, / and feeling, and being ” March 10, 1972 – National Black Political Convention EVENT: The first National Black Political Convention meets to announce goals including community control of schools, national health insurance, and the elimination of the d**h penalty. 1972: Poem to the Hip Generation by Amus Mor EXCERPT: “(Who are we? Where are we going” What are we here for?)” August 8, 1980 – Executive Order 12232 : Historically Black Colleges and Universities EVENT: President Jimmy Carter signs Executive Order 12232, a federal program to strengthen HBCUs and increase funding. 1980: Robert Wussler & Robert Johnson - Original Air: March 1980 – Conversations with Harold Hudson Channer EXCERPT: Harold Channer: “Bob Johnson is the president of the Black Entertainment Television , Bob welcome … Black Entertainment Television, tell us what it's about?” Bob Johnson: “Black Entertainment Television is the nation's first and only cable television satellite network distributing black programming … quality black entertainment.”