In spite of prevalent discrimination in the United States, black
musicians spread the musical influence of jazz by relocating to an urban
environment, where it was far more likely to gain both profit and popularity
from a primarily white audience. However, the hypocrisy of racial divisions
persisted even as the era of Swing began, and despite the skill of many talented
African Americans, it became painfully obvious that racism influenced more than
the spatial dimension of music. The Swing era was an opportunity for white
people to learn the harsh reality some of their fellow Americans endured every
day, and through both a political and cultural discussion of jazz, the Swing
Era brought discrimination and prejudice to the forefront of American
discussion.
Jazz was far greater than simply a black service to a general audience, and it is around the Swing Era that many forget its original roots, likely a cause of the invention of radio (Stewart, Lecture). While it is evident that jazz’s founder were primarily African American, the assimilation of the genre into mainstream society would have never happened if it was regarded as a solely black music. As a result of integration into the public sphere, jazz gained a patriotic, capitalist, reputation that extended to its founders. In Swing Changes, the author states, “Jazz represented a musical thumbing of the nose at fascism, to its proselytizers, was above all, a democratic music, a product of ‘the people’, accessible to all classes and cultural types… (Swing Changes 53). The association with jazz with American values and individuality soared during the Swing Era, and though this may not be the dialogue jazz musicians wanted to convey, the white audience embraced an optimistic interpretation of Swing. While this may seem as a futile attempt for many blacks to express the troubles of discrimination, it instead gave black Americans a shared identity of nationalism with whites that was never present in the 20th century before. The feelings of egalitarianism did not stop at a commercial level, but instead prompted a discussion of racism and the treatment of fellow citizens that were trying to make a living. This idealistic dream of a shared identity put the first crack in a massive political barrier separating whites and blacks, and through Swing music alone, started an open debate about prevalent segregation of Americans for no good reason.
Jazz was far greater than simply a black service to a general audience, and it is around the Swing Era that many forget its original roots, likely a cause of the invention of radio (Stewart, Lecture). While it is evident that jazz’s founder were primarily African American, the assimilation of the genre into mainstream society would have never happened if it was regarded as a solely black music. As a result of integration into the public sphere, jazz gained a patriotic, capitalist, reputation that extended to its founders. In Swing Changes, the author states, “Jazz represented a musical thumbing of the nose at fascism, to its proselytizers, was above all, a democratic music, a product of ‘the people’, accessible to all classes and cultural types… (Swing Changes 53). The association with jazz with American values and individuality soared during the Swing Era, and though this may not be the dialogue jazz musicians wanted to convey, the white audience embraced an optimistic interpretation of Swing. While this may seem as a futile attempt for many blacks to express the troubles of discrimination, it instead gave black Americans a shared identity of nationalism with whites that was never present in the 20th century before. The feelings of egalitarianism did not stop at a commercial level, but instead prompted a discussion of racism and the treatment of fellow citizens that were trying to make a living. This idealistic dream of a shared identity put the first crack in a massive political barrier separating whites and blacks, and through Swing music alone, started an open debate about prevalent segregation of Americans for no good reason.
Besides a patriotic concern, Swing presented to the public musicians of both races, resulting in a discussion of the separate white and black contributions to the genre. Critics of jazz were especially crucial in interpreting the key messages of Swing, and although bias was not absent, the general public did not spare attention from people like John Hammond. Critics, who saw during their travels the difficult life many black musicians were living, worked to transmit the realities of racism to many white consumers. In Swing Changes, Stowe states, “The sharpest exchanges occurred not over integration of bias in the swing industry but over the issue that won Hammond notoriety: who played better jazz, whites or blacks and why” (Stowe 78). Critics like John Hammond served to explain and interpret the racial dimension of jazz, and rather than simply consume it, sought to address the discrimination facing even the most elite black musicians. The industry of music critics did not aim to disparage hopeful African Americans, but recognize that the obvious racial bias cannot be ignored if an audience truly respected people like Fletcher Henderson or Billie Holiday.
The circumstances in the Swing Era created a discussion about race in the public sphere. With the advent of the radio, black musicians could be partially considered “true” Americans that proudly represented the United States internationally. Along with the cultural discussion of jazz with popular music critics, who in their search for new talent saw the tragedy of racism, the general public were able to understand and consider racial discrimination for the first time in America’s history. As the political and cultural expressions of jazz left a lasting impression on white audiences, Swing placed a prominent step forward towards black civil liberties.
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