Jewish Musicians and the American Struggle for Civil Rights
I have always loved music and I have been attending concerts since I was very young. Traditional folk and bluegrass music are my favorite genres and I’ve been playing guitar for the past five and a half years. About a year after starting guitar I picked up the banjo. Since I started going to bluegrass parties where people come to play along with the music I've learned so much on both the banjo and guitar. I am proud to have an interest in traditional folk music and music history.
For years I have had a strong interest in traditional American folk music and the music of the Sixties. When looking to for a good topic for my Bar Mitzvah I was looking at different styles of Jewish music. I soon discovered that many of the famous songwriters of the nineteen-sixties were Jewish, such as Bob Dylan and Peter Yarrow. These people wrote some of the most famous songs that were used in protests for the Civil Rights Movement. Today I will share with you some of what I learned in researching these songs and the artists who wrote and performed them. I will also be talking about some aspects of Jewish history and values which might have influenced these artists.
Some of the Jewish musicians that I studied are Bob Dylan, Peter Yarrow, Phil Ochs, Abel Meeropol, Paul Simon, Art Garfunkel, and Arlo Guthrie.
Bob Dylan was born May 24, 1941 with the name of Robert Zimmernan. Born Jewish, Dylan had a Bar Mitzvah but at that time he was not very religious. Later Dylan converted to Christianity and made a religious Christian album. But in the later years of his life he found that he was back to being Jewish. in many of his songs the lyrics send a Jewish message. Like when he tells the story of abraham in the song highway 61. Today Bob Dylan considers himself to be a very religious Jew.
His early songs became anthems in the Civil Rights and Anti-War movements. His big mentors included Woody Guthrie and Ramblin’ Jack Elliot. Dylan’s first protest song was “The Death of Emmett Till,’’. His most famous protest songs were written in a period of 20 months, from January 1962 to November 1962.
Bob Dylan’s Civil Rights songs include:
“The Times they are A-Changing”, “ Oxford Town”, “Blowin’ in the Wind”, “Death of Emmet Till”, “The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carol”, and “Hurricane.”
Hurricane is a song about a man named Hurricane Carter who was wrongly accused of a murder. In it, Dylan writes: “To the white folks he was a revolutionary bum, no one had doubted that he had pulled the trigger.” Another famous quote from that song is “How can the life of such of a man be in the palm of some fool’s hand. To see him obviously framed, couldn’t help but make me feel ashamed. To live in a land where justice is a game.” I think this song is really good at sending the message of discrimination.
“Oxford Town” is a song about the riots in Oxford, Mississippi after the first black student was admitted to the University of Mississippi in the year 1962. “Guns and clubs followed him down, all because his face was brown.” “He came into the door, he couldn’t get in, all because of the color of his skin.”
Another Jewish folk singer, Phil Ochs was born December 19, 1940 in El Paso, Texas. After writing several 60’s protest songs, he developed bipolar disorder and became an alcoholic. This led to his death in 1976 at the age of 35. Ochs was influenced by Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger and Elvis Presley. He was very much in the shadow of Bob Dylan and also wrote a song about Oxford, Mississippi called “The Ballad of Oxford.” Known to most as a protest musician, Ochs preferred to call himself a “singing journalist,” simply stating what he saw in the news.
Another famous song by Phil Ochs is “Here's to the State of Mississippi “. Ochs wrote this song the day 19 suspects accused of murdering 3 civil rights workers were allowed to go free. This song shows Phil Ochs’ anger against this racism. Some important quotes from that song are:
“For under her borders the devil draws no lines. If you drag her muddy river nameless bodies you will find.”
Another quote from this song is:
“Where they’re teaching all the children they don't have to care. All the rudiments of hatred are present everywhere. and every single classroom is a factory of despair. Nobody’s learning such a foreign word as fair.”
A few years older than Phil Ochs, Peter Yarrow was born May 31, 1938. He is known for being in the band, Peter, Paul and Mary. The Weavers influenced him to become a folk singer. Peter, Paul and Mary played protest songs in 1963 at a march in Washington led by Martin Luther King Jr.
Yarrow received the Allard K. Lowenstein Award, in 1982, for his "remarkable efforts in advancing the causes of human rights, peace and freedom."[11] In 1995, the Miami Jewish Federation recognized Yarrow’s continual efforts by awarding its Tikkun Olam Award for his part in helping to "repair the world.”
Some famous protest songs made popular by Peter Yarrow, include: If I Had a Hammer, No Easy Walk to Freedom, and We Shall Overcome, In “No Easy Walk to Freedom” Yarrow is comparing America’s struggle with South Africa’s:
“We lived it, you know that it’s true. Nelson Mandela, now we’re walking with you.” “In our land not so long ago we lived in the struggle and that’s how we know. Slavery abolished, coming freedom’s call, keep on walking and apartheid with fall.”
Two of the most famous songs of the sixties are Peter Paul and Mary’s “We Shall Overcome” and “If I had a Hammer.” Both give the message that freedom will be attainable throughout all of the country for all people.
Another famous Jewish musician of the Sixties is Arlo Guthrie. He was born in 1947 to a Jewish mother, although the famous folk singer Woody Guthrie, Arlo's father, was Protestant. Arlo’s Grandmother was a famous yiddish poet. Arlo had a Bar Mitzvah but at the age of 30 converted to Catholicism. Arlo Guthrie's protest songs were about the Vietnam War and not the Civil Rights movement but I wanted to mention him as another Jewish protest musician.
The Grandfather of protest songwriters, Abel Meeropol was a Jewish schoolteacher from the Bronx. After seeing a picture of a lynching, Abel Meeropol was horrified and could not get it out of his mind so he wrote the song, “Strange Fruit,” first as a poem and then put music to it. He wasn’t a singer, so he asked Billie Holiday to record the song.
Another famous Jewish musician of the Sixties is Arlo Guthrie. He was born in 1947 to a Jewish mother, although the famous folk singer Woody Guthrie, Arlo's father, was Protestant. Arlo’s Grandmother was a famous yiddish poet. Arlo had a Bar Mitzvah but at the age of 30 converted to Catholicism. Arlo Guthrie's protest songs were about the Vietnam War and not the Civil Rights movement but I wanted to mention him as another Jewish protest musician.
The Grandfather of protest songwriters, Abel Meeropol was a Jewish schoolteacher from the Bronx. After seeing a picture of a lynching, Abel Meeropol was horrified and could not get it out of his mind so he wrote the song, “Strange Fruit,” first as a poem and then put music to it. He wasn’t a singer, so he asked Billie Holiday to record the song.
Here are some of the lyrics from “strange Fruit:”
“Southern trees bear a strange fruit
Blood on the leaves and blood at the root
Black bodies swingin' in the Southern breeze
Strange fruit hangin' from the poplar trees.”
Meeropol published “Strange Fruit” in 1937 so it is not a song of the Sixties, but I wanted to include him as a Jewish protest songwriter anyway.
Born in 1941 in Newark, New Jersey to Hungarian Jewish parents, Paul Simon became one of the most famous protest song writers of the Sixties. As a child, Paul Simon was interested in music, writing his first song at the age of 12 or 13. The song was called “The Girl for Me.” He wrote the song to be played with his friend Art Garfunkel who was also born in 1941 and also Jewish. They grew up three blocks away from each other in Queens, NY. Together they became know as the group Simon and Garfunkel, with Paul Simon writing songs and Art Garfunkel singing the harmony.
One of the most famous protest songs by SImon and Garfunkel is “He Was My Brother.” It was written about a college friend of theirs who was murdered by the Ku Klux Klan. Some lyrics from the tune are:
“An angry mob trailed along
They shot my brother dead"
Blood on the leaves and blood at the root
Black bodies swingin' in the Southern breeze
Strange fruit hangin' from the poplar trees.”
Meeropol published “Strange Fruit” in 1937 so it is not a song of the Sixties, but I wanted to include him as a Jewish protest songwriter anyway.
Born in 1941 in Newark, New Jersey to Hungarian Jewish parents, Paul Simon became one of the most famous protest song writers of the Sixties. As a child, Paul Simon was interested in music, writing his first song at the age of 12 or 13. The song was called “The Girl for Me.” He wrote the song to be played with his friend Art Garfunkel who was also born in 1941 and also Jewish. They grew up three blocks away from each other in Queens, NY. Together they became know as the group Simon and Garfunkel, with Paul Simon writing songs and Art Garfunkel singing the harmony.
One of the most famous protest songs by SImon and Garfunkel is “He Was My Brother.” It was written about a college friend of theirs who was murdered by the Ku Klux Klan. Some lyrics from the tune are:
“An angry mob trailed along
They shot my brother dead"
"He was my brother and he died so his brothers could be free.”
This shows empathy for the victim who was a close friend, almost like a brother.
Another famous song of Simon and Garfunkel is “A Church is Burning.” This song was written in 1965 and tells the story of the Klu Klux Klan burning a African American church. Some significant lyrics from the song are:
“Three hooded men through the back road did
creep torches in their hands while the village lies asleep”
Another one is:
“You can burn down my churches but I shall be free .”
and
“Freedom is a dark road when you walking it alone. The future is now, its time to take a stand so the lost bells of freedom can ring through my land.”
You may be wondering what any of this has to do with being Jewish. There are many Jewish values as well as history that may influence Jews to have a strong belief in equal rights.
One Jewish value is Tikkun Olam: to repair the world, suggesting that Jewish musicians wanted to fix the racism that existed in America at the time. Others like Gimmie-loot Hhh-a-see-deem- acts of loving kindness and V’Ah-havta I’ray-eh-hhhha k’moe-khhhha- Love your neighbor as yourself suggest a deep background of peace in the Jewish culture.
Some Jewish holidays, such as Hannukah, Purim, and Passover commemorate victories over persecution, similar to the experience of African Americans in the U.S.
When we celebrate Hannukah, we celebrate the memory the Maccabees. These brothers and their small army of followers fought the Greco-Syrian empire for Jewish freedom. The Jewish temple was destroyed by Anti-ochus and his army who did not allow Jewish people to practice our religion. The Maccabees then took back the temple and the right to practice their religion.
Esther, the heroine of the Purim story, stopped the King of Persia from killing the Jewish people. In this story from the bible, Esther was picked to be the King’s bride although the King did not know she was Jewish. Haman, the King’s assistant, organized persecution of the Jewish population. Haman tried to make Mordechai, Esther’s cousin, bow down to him, against Mordechai’s Jewish religion. He eventually got the King’s permission to kill all the Jewish people. Esther decided to save them, by telling the King of her Jewish background.
Moses and the Passover story are another good example of protesting Jewish persecution in holidays that we celebrate. The Pharaoh of the time was afraid that the ever- growing Jewish population would overthrow the Egyptian kingdom so he enslaved the Jewish people to stop this. He also demanded that every Jewish baby boy be drowned in the Nile River. But one boy was laid in a basket and floated down the Nile to safety. When the Pharaoh's daughter found the boy floating she took him and the royal family adopted him as raised him as their son. They named the boy Moses. When Moses grew to be a man, he learned of his Jewish background and noticed all the slavery being done to the Jewish people. Moses went to the Pharaoh and demanded the he let the Jewish people go. Moses then led them through the desert and out of Egypt.
These stories that are passed down teach Jewish children that we have gone through persecution and we should never let it happen to other people. These lessons taught the musicians of the civil rights movement to stand up for other people. Jewish values and holidays encourage us to love our neighbor as ourself and how to treat all people with respect.
This shows empathy for the victim who was a close friend, almost like a brother.
Another famous song of Simon and Garfunkel is “A Church is Burning.” This song was written in 1965 and tells the story of the Klu Klux Klan burning a African American church. Some significant lyrics from the song are:
“Three hooded men through the back road did
creep torches in their hands while the village lies asleep”
Another one is:
“You can burn down my churches but I shall be free .”
and
“Freedom is a dark road when you walking it alone. The future is now, its time to take a stand so the lost bells of freedom can ring through my land.”
You may be wondering what any of this has to do with being Jewish. There are many Jewish values as well as history that may influence Jews to have a strong belief in equal rights.
One Jewish value is Tikkun Olam: to repair the world, suggesting that Jewish musicians wanted to fix the racism that existed in America at the time. Others like Gimmie-loot Hhh-a-see-deem- acts of loving kindness and V’Ah-havta I’ray-eh-hhhha k’moe-khhhha- Love your neighbor as yourself suggest a deep background of peace in the Jewish culture.
Some Jewish holidays, such as Hannukah, Purim, and Passover commemorate victories over persecution, similar to the experience of African Americans in the U.S.
When we celebrate Hannukah, we celebrate the memory the Maccabees. These brothers and their small army of followers fought the Greco-Syrian empire for Jewish freedom. The Jewish temple was destroyed by Anti-ochus and his army who did not allow Jewish people to practice our religion. The Maccabees then took back the temple and the right to practice their religion.
Esther, the heroine of the Purim story, stopped the King of Persia from killing the Jewish people. In this story from the bible, Esther was picked to be the King’s bride although the King did not know she was Jewish. Haman, the King’s assistant, organized persecution of the Jewish population. Haman tried to make Mordechai, Esther’s cousin, bow down to him, against Mordechai’s Jewish religion. He eventually got the King’s permission to kill all the Jewish people. Esther decided to save them, by telling the King of her Jewish background.
Moses and the Passover story are another good example of protesting Jewish persecution in holidays that we celebrate. The Pharaoh of the time was afraid that the ever- growing Jewish population would overthrow the Egyptian kingdom so he enslaved the Jewish people to stop this. He also demanded that every Jewish baby boy be drowned in the Nile River. But one boy was laid in a basket and floated down the Nile to safety. When the Pharaoh's daughter found the boy floating she took him and the royal family adopted him as raised him as their son. They named the boy Moses. When Moses grew to be a man, he learned of his Jewish background and noticed all the slavery being done to the Jewish people. Moses went to the Pharaoh and demanded the he let the Jewish people go. Moses then led them through the desert and out of Egypt.
These stories that are passed down teach Jewish children that we have gone through persecution and we should never let it happen to other people. These lessons taught the musicians of the civil rights movement to stand up for other people. Jewish values and holidays encourage us to love our neighbor as ourself and how to treat all people with respect.
While researching this project I was able to learn of how Jewish musicians of the nineteen- sixties stood up for the rights of African Americans. I learned about how Jewish values and holidays influenced them to fight for freedom. Through this project I have learned so much history about the songs and music as well as of the Civil Rights movement itself. These songs that were written by Jewish songwriters became one of the most important parts of the Civil Rights movement. Known as the “anthems of the sixties” these songs changed our country and called attention to the racism of that time. Values that had been passed down through Jewish families teach us that all people's rights are equal. Learning the stories behind our holidays, we learn that we have gone through persecution and we should never let it happen to other people. I now know so much more about the writing of protest songs in the sixties and I hope that after listening to my presentation, you do, too .
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