Poisoning Their Coffee
Louis Armstrong and Civil Rights
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 6355652 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Charles Hersch (Cleveland State University, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2002 |
| Volume | 34 |
| Issue | 3 |
| Pages | 371-392 |
| Publication date | 2002-03-01 |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Polity (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0032-3497 • E-ISSN: 1744-1684 |
| Publisher | University of Chicago Press (PUBLISHER • US) |
| DOI | 10.1086/polv34n3ms3235397 |
| OpenAlex | W100496370 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 2 |
This essay argues that the life and music of Louis Armstrong challenged mainstream American values and attacked racial hierarchy. In his lifestyle Armstrong pursued a carnivalesque celebration of bodily pleasure at the expense of the Protestant ethic. In addition, his concerts created utopian moments that united black and white listeners in the enjoyment of music. Finally, Armstrong's music represented an assertion of blackness and individuality in a racist society, bringing African American elements to the center of American music
Aesthetics · Art · Assertion · Black music · Civil rights · Mainstream · Pleasure · Political science · Sociology · White (mutation · Law · Music History and Culture · Psychology · Race, History, and American Society · Theater, Performance, and Music History
| Citations per year | 0.29 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2019 - 2019 (1) |
| Highly cited | No |