Self-love has become a mantra during this current sociopolitical climate, encouraged by jubilant exclamations of Black Girl Magic and the defiant announcements of unapologetic blackness. While these new tag-lines can be found all over the internet, clothing, and television, music shows us that it has always been a vessel for affirmation. Much like black culture has shifted from subversive to in-your-face, black affirmation in music has done the same. By focusing on the music during three sociopolitical movements in black American history, I hope to analyze elements of self-love and affirmation as well as the differences in which they are expressed.
Billie Holiday-Strange Fruit (recorded in 1939) 2001 Proper Records Ltd.*
Duke Ellington-Take the A Train1939
Nina Simone-I Put a Spell on You 1965
James Brown-Say It Loud (I’m Black and I’m Proud)1969
Marvin Gaye-What’s Going On 1971
Kendrick Lamar-To Pimp a Butterfly2015
Beyonce-Lemonade 2016
Shameya Pennell is a senior at Emory University majoring in Religion and Anthropology.
