History and Representation of Race within popular music (New Question. Proof of concept)

History and Representation of Race within popular music

Music is found in every culture around the world and can be traced back to early civilisations, music is fundamentally a constituent of Humanity as it has grown like humans, from primitive beginnings as far back as 55,000 years ago to the technologically driven median it has evolved into today. From this diverse background it is plain to see that Music as an art form is not bound by racial boundaries as it is inherent within every man and woman.

1950s

The 1950s was a period of great racial tension within the U.S. and this was ever present in the popular music of the time as famous black artists were more frequently shown than earlier periods yet still faced the same segregation as non-musicians. Despite black musicians making a lot of money for the their record label they were still payed fair less than their white counterparts and were treated to large amounts of discrimination.

Sunday News Post: 18/10/15

North Korea reportedly willing to sign peace treaty with US to end conflict

North Korea reportedly rejected the idea of resuming talks to abandon its nuclear program on Saturday, but said it would welcome negotiations for a peace treaty with Washington.

North Korea’s foreign ministry made the statement one day after President Obama and South Korean President Park Geun-hye said they were ready to open talks with Pyongyang on sanctions if they were serious about dissolving its nuclear program, according to Reuters.

“If the United States insists on taking a different path, the Korean peninsula will only see our unlimited nuclear deterrent being strengthened further,” the North said in a statement.

North and South Korea are still technically at war after signing a truce in 1953 to temporarily end their conflict. The U.S. also signed the deal after backing the South.

My Thoughts:

This seems like a move to save face as North Korea looks toward the winter and their starving Citizens. It would allow them to appear as if they are focusing efforts on gathering food for the winter, without appearing weak and needing to do it out of necessity. It also allows them to perhaps block the spying eye of the Americans and South Koreans, making them go to further; and less obvious lengths to spy on the country. I don't think it's a sudden change of direction but rather a tactical move.

Sunday News Post: 11/10/2015

London Film Festival: Feminist protesters storm Suffragette premiere

Feminist protesters stormed the premiere of new British movie Suffragette at the London Film Festival, calling for greater support for victims of domestic violence. Members of campaign group Sisters Uncut set off smoke bombs and flares as they broke through the barriers and rushed the film's premiere in Leicester Square. Chanting "dead women can't vote", they proceeded to take part in a "die-in" protest, in which they simulated being dead by lying down alongside one another on the red carpet.

Suffragette is the first big screen adaptation of the fight by British women for the right to vote in the early 20th century. The disruption caused by the protests caused the screening to be delayed, but eventually the film's stars including Carey Mulligan, Meryl Streep and Helena Bonham Carter arrived on the red carpet.

Sunday News Post: 04/10/15

Sex ed to become mandatory in grades 7-12 in California

Sexual health education will become mandatory on Jan. 1, 2016 for California public school students in grades 7 through 12 under a bill signed into law by Gov. Jerry Brown on Thursday.

The comprehensive sexual health education law will combine education on HIV prevention, which already is mandatory, with sexual health education, which has been optional, into a single, mandatory course of instruction with updated curriculum, according to Assemblywoman Shirley Weber, D-San Diego, author of Assembly Bill 329. Parents will have the option of excusing their child from instruction.

The new law seeks to remedy the uneven instruction in sexual health in public schools in the state, as documented in a study by researchers at UC San Francisco and in a lawsuit against the Clovis Unified School District brought by two parents and several advocacy groups that alleged inaccurate and biased information about sexual health was being taught. The parents alleged that a textbook on HIV prevention did not mention condoms and a video on sexual health featured a man on his wedding night comparing a woman to a dirty shoe because she was not a virgin.

My Thoughts:

I think this is a good step forward, the majority of the USA are Christians with fundamentalist values, Children from these families would previously have often got improper advice on sexual health and could lead to a multitude of issues as the idea of "Just don't" clearly doesn't work. People should not be made to feel ashamed and education is the best tool to prevent this.