The Geography behind it all
Being black during the 1950s and 60s was hard enough, but add on the pressure of being an artist and trying to make it in the midst of an industry that cared deeply about race and everything gets harder. At the time, depending on where you were in the United States, a person of color would be treated differently- the farther south you were, the worse discrimination got- and this applied to black artists too. As managers began to demand that their artists be treated differently, it affected the way people treated African-Americans as a whole.
The sound and influence black artists provided helped to spread the message of the Civil Rights movement, possibly causing it to diffuse faster through the United States than it may have without black artists. Artists like Ella Fitzgerald performing in big clubs in New York, and black background singers performing with big bands helped spread awareness throughout the United States.
The sound and influence black artists provided helped to spread the message of the Civil Rights movement, possibly causing it to diffuse faster through the United States than it may have without black artists. Artists like Ella Fitzgerald performing in big clubs in New York, and black background singers performing with big bands helped spread awareness throughout the United States.
The diffusion of Jazz allowed Ella Fitzgerald to become a famous artist, performing in clubs in New York- thanks to Marilyn Monroe. Jazz diffusing up to New York, and throughout the United States allowed Ella to make it in the music industry. A black artist during the Civil Rights movement helped to perpetuate the message of the movement faster- that people of color are equal, and they can make it in the music industry the way a white person could.