Martin Luther King Jr. was an American activist and a striking leader in the American civil rights movement, aiming to outlaw racial discrimination and bring back suffrage. Musical artists across the decades have been writing and composing songs to honor the great Martin Luther King Jr. and what he stood for.
It is hard to believe that even after all of King's progress and the strong efforts of so many other activists, how common racism still is today. Martin Luther King Jr. Day was established as a national holiday in1986, however, was not officially observed in all 50 states until 2000. South Carolina was the last state to recognize Martin Luther King Day as an official holiday, when the governor signed a bill on May 2, 2000. Before this, there was much controversy concerning Arizona’s reluctance to recognize the holiday. Arizona Republican Governor Evan Mecham opposed the state holiday and was originally supported by Senator John McCain. McCain later changed his position on the matter and showed encouragement towards recognizing the national holiday. The musical group Public Enemy did not take Mecham’s opposition lightly. On their 1991 album Apocalypse 91… The Enemy Strikes Black, they released a protest song titled “By The Time I Get To Arizona.” The song describes assassinating the Arizona Governor, Evan Mecham. The music video depicts the members of Public Enemy killing Mecham with the use of a car bomb. The video illustrates Mecham in a very negative light and makes use of many images and video clips of explicit acts of racism. Public Enemy’s very controversial and violent protest song is just one of many songs that have been created to support, honor, and remember Martin Luther King Jr. and the difference that he helped create.
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It is unsettling that it took so long for states to even acknowledge Dr. King with a holiday, but speaks well of music that musicians use their music to speak his message.
ReplyDeleteBut it Public Enemy's way really the best? Dr. King was a peaceful man, advocating non violent protest. Is their angry song about killing someone what he wanted?
I have to agree with Rachael in that Public Enemy's display of violence is in direct contrast to the life of peaceful protest that MLK led. It is interesting though to know that Senator McCain flip flopped on this issue. Good Post!
ReplyDeleteI agree with both of you and I should have said something about that. But they were still protesting against Mechan because he wasn't going to honor Martin Luther King Jr. and what he did.
ReplyDeleteSo it was something that they did to support King, but as you said, they did so in a manner that wasn't very acceptable. That's where the true protest of the song comes in though.
One could see PE's apparent violent stance as simply an analogous situation to what MLK faced before. Remember PE are also closely linked with some of the teachings of Malcolm X--"By any means necessary." It has been an issue for nonviolent groups in the past, when the peaceful protest continues to fail--what do you do?
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