Clare Harvey

Hello, my name is Clare Harvey and I am a sophomore sociology major from Washington, DC, on the pre-law track with the intent of someday becoming an attorney. Growing up, I have always had a passion or interest for the arts, particularly for music. I grew up playing various instruments, including, but not limited to, the piano, the guitar, drums, etc. My parents and older brother, who had his own band, introduced me to these instruments and various music styles. Although I was introduced to many musical styles, my favorite of the styles introduced to me was R&B and Hip Hop music. Both of these styles originated in Black communities and have roots that could possibly be traced back to Africa. Being that my favorite two music styles developed in the Black community and are most prevalent in Black communities, I was inspired to join this course discussing African American music. I took a class in high school entitled “African American History,” and in this class, we had a sub-unit on African American music focusing on the Harlem Renaissance. I learned a little bit about Louis Armstrong, Bessie Smith, Cab Calloway, and various other artists. Still, I hope in this class that I will learn more about other prominent Black musicians and artists in the Harlem Renaissance and throughout American history. I feel that Black music and artists are often taken for granted in society. Some of the most famous musicians and artists in America are Black such as Beyonce, Kanye West, Alicia Keys, etc. Although this is the case, Black music styles and Black performing artists are still deemed as “ghetto” or lesser than when compared to their white counterparts. While taking this class, I would like to learn more about Black artists’ impact on American music and on American history period, as I know music has been used as a tool to move people and change their prejudices and racist ideals towards the Black community. Another reason I was interested in taking this course was because, as I previously stated, I would like to become an attorney. After graduating from Spelman College, I intend to attend law school and attain my Juris Doctorate, which I will use to become an entertainment attorney. Being that I plan on becoming an entertainment attorney, I feel that it is so important that I know the history and culture behind the artists I am representing and their music. I want to give back to my community while also serving my passion for music, and this is the best way for me to do so. I want to ensure that Black artists and their music are not being taken advantage of by white America. I feel that by me taking this class, I will not only feed my passion for music by learning more about Black artists, but I will also be aiding myself in my future career as an entertainment attorney. I look forward to learning more about African American music and its robust history this semester!

I completed the artists images and tags for “Johnnie Taylor, Aloe Blacc, Laura Izibor, Barry White, and Bruno Mars.”

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