Blacks take a Swing at racism

            The 1930’s were a pivotal era for African-American’s in terms of their ability to speak out against the racial injustice of the time.  Jazz popularity was growing due to new radio technologies, and the new ‘swing style’ was sweeping across the United States.  However, as white musicians such as Benny Goodman began to take market share away from the black musicians due to their political advantages, racial tensions intensified.  In addition to these rivalries, Jazz, as an art form, was battling for respectability among the white society of the 1930s.  As Jazz began to gain respect, a platform was created for musicians and critics to use as a vehicle to voice their opinions.

            Jazz was able to penetrate white society in ways traditional movements could not. It opposed the rituals of Jim Crow segregation, which usually meant black musicians could not be in the front line of delivering the music to “respectable” white audiences.  Many musicians used this opportunity daringly to send a message.  These messages included Billy Holiday’s “1939 recording of ‘Strange Fruit,’ a disturbing song about a lynching, added to her notoriety and imparted a piquant political quality to her public image” (Gioia 168).  Recordings like these became increasingly public and were catalysts for other musicians inspiring them to call for change.  Critics like John Hammond cautioned against such blunt outcries yet encouraged more support from powerful figures such as Duke Ellington. Hammond’s push for Ellington to voice an opinion on the racial conflicts further angered the black community, due to Ellington’s passiveness and reluctance during the period of activism.

            Following the surge of Swing in New York, white critics began to write about jazz comparing who was better; the white musicians or the black.  As ‘Swing’ took over New York, a racial rivalry ensued over who was the “King of Swing.”  While Black searched for legitimacy to their music, first-class black Hotels in Harlem took center stage.  Minton’s for example, was a place where “the cream of the crop of Harlem’s black society” conglomerated (Troupe 53).  The famous “Battle of the Bands,” featuring the most prominent white swing musician Benny “King of Swing” Goodman vs. Chick Webb, the famous black drummer stirred up the Jazz (Swing) community, as 4000 attendants poured into the black ball room.  Following the show, Goodman stated, “Chick Webb cut me to ribbons” (Stewart Lecture).  The battle of the bands made the racial conflict more explicit.  It was evident that the black musicians were just as skilled, and most often, more skilled than their white competitors, yet they couldn’t play at Carnegie Hall because of their race.

            The Swing Era brought racial issues involved with Jazz to the forefront of American culture in the 1930s.  Musician’s, who were more talented, were discriminated against, leading to heightened tensions.  With the legitimacy of jazz as an art form now established through Benny Goodman’s performance at Carnegie Hall, black musicians had a serious public platform to express their frustrations on.  Because of the increased popularity of Swing, and the dissimilation of the music across the entire country, critics also had a new subject to write about.  This platform, combined with a growing rivalry between black and white musicians served as key aspects to racial activism of the 1930s.