Jazz is seen as one of the greatest contributions to American music, through its use of rhythm, syncopation, and freedom of style. As a form of artistic expression, jazz is generally disregarded when entering the discussion of music and social movements, particularly the Civil Rights movement. Though jazz musicians have been identified as Civil Rights activists, they are not understood as pursuing their activism through music outside of Civil Rights organizations. This thesis examines key musicians during the 1950s and 1960s, namely Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Charles Mingus, Max Roach, Abbey Lincoln, and Nina Simone, and their use of music to express allegiances and political messages outside the organized movement. This thesis argues that the lack of acknowledgment in their political endeavors is due to the relationships that these musicians formed with their audiences, resulting in the reception of this music without harsh backlash and repercussions.
David Jorrin (Sat,) studied this question.