Feelin' a little Blue?
Blues emerged in the late 20th century during a time of immense pain and tragedy. The genre of blues had social ties to a few southern cities such as St. Louis, New Orleans, and Memphis. Blues became a musical outlet for the black people of these cities and allowed them to express their emotions, hardships, and attitude towards their current struggling situation. Black people allowed blues to help them move along through their rough patch, in their progression in the United States.
Social Strife
Black people were hoping for a new chance at life after emancipation. Black people were hoping to move forward and away from the past. Unfortunately, black people were met with the abrupt occurrence of Jim Crow laws, segregation, lynchings and other violent acts of disrespect from whites. Whites tried their hardest to keep black people down during that time so black people turned to music, blues, to release the emotions bottled up inside.
Popular Artists
Mamie Smith (bottom picture)
Bessie Smith
Skip James
Lead Belly
Muddy Waters (top picture)
John Lee Hooker
Son House
