Black History Month 100th Year James Brown’s Influence in History

This writer attended several of the unique singer and dancer James Brown’s Starlight Reviews in Memphis, TN while attending Rust College University, Holly Springs, MS. The concerts were high-energy and the highlight of my and other college student’s life. One could not sit down during his concerts. You had to get on up and get to dancing. We often, as a group, stayed at the Lorraine Hotel where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was murdered. It now houses the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis.

James Brown dropped out of school in the 7^th grade but was one who emphasized the importance of education.  One of his songs is ‘Don’t be a Dropout’. He visited President Lyndon Johnson at the White House and was cited for being a positive role model to the youth. He made public speeches at schools and in his will in 2002, he advised that most of his money go to his ‘I feel Good, Inc.’ to benefit youth and provide scholarships to youth in South Carolina and Georgia. However, the scholarships have been held up by continuous litigations. James Brown last released song was “Killing is out School is in”, advocating against youth being murders in the streets.

James Brown’s song “Say it Loud – I’m Black and I’m proud”released in 1968 in 2 parts, became the unofficial anthem of theBlack Power and Civil Rights Movement. It peaked on the R&B chart for six weeks as number one. The song fostered pride, empowerment and self-love during a time of intense social change.  It, also, focused on systemic racism and pushed for equality. Rapper Chuck D., aka Public Enemy is quoted in Wikipedia.org as saying, “Back then black folks were called Negroes, but James said you can say it loud; that being black is a great thing instead of something you have to apologize for.”

In 1970 James wrote and released “I Don’t Want Nobody to Give Me Nothing (Open Up the Door, I’ll Get it Myself)” Some of the lyrics:

Don’t give me sorrow

I want equal opportunity

To live tomorrow

Give me schools

And give me better books

So I can read about myself

And gain my truly looks.

Some of us try

As hard as we can

We don’t want no sympathy

We just wanna be a man