Art, Human Rights, and Vietnam
Photography
For the first time in history, the public was seeing images of war. It was easy. Just turn on the TV, walk down the street, or read the newspaper. The realities of Vietnam struck so many people because it forced viewers to challenge their beliefs about war. As a result, many began to morally condemn what was going on in Vietnam. For more information: CNN. (n.d.). Iconic photos of the Vietnam War. Retrieved from http://www.cnn.com/2014/06/19/world/gallery/iconic-vietnam-war-photos/ Music The Rock and Roll Revolution of the sixties was synonymous with the Human Rights Revolution. Rock and roll invited all: it requires no formal study, often taught orally and preformed improvisational. This type of music broke the class barrier and was seen through all social classes. The rebellious sound and energy of rock music attracted rebellious thinkers, and many artists wrote songs depicting antiwar feelings. Rock music was fun to listen to, which drew many fans. The music scene developed a conversation on human rights as war became a common theme of the songs. The public joined in on this conversation as the genre grew in popularity. For more information: James, D. (1989). The Vietnam War and American music. Social text, (23), 122-143. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/466424 Below are a few examples of music of the 1960s that involved the Vietnam War. Why does this matter today?The Vietnam War era was the beginning of public involvement in Human Rights. No longer does Human Rights just concern public officials, men in suits, or political figures. This new public involvement has only perpetuated into today. Art has continued to be a medium for people to discuss human rights. Now, it is commonplace for the public to find themselves in the midst of a world filled with art and human rights.
AuthorHi there!
My name is Emily, I am a Sophomore currently enrolled at the University of Rhode Island. I am attending the course HPR 310: Gender, Race, and Human Rights. |
The Vietnam War era is known for being a time of change. The 1960s and 1970s are famous for educational teach-ins, anti-war demonstrations, and Civil Rights campaigns, to name a few. It is in this time that the Civil Rights Act 1964 was passed, Martin Luther King Jr. led his famous March on Washington, and the Berkeley Free Speech Movement began. Most importantly, Human Rights came to the forefront of the public's agenda. The public made possible monumental changes that the sixties are known for, and without art, none of it would have been possible.
Technology The sixties were the perfect time for all these changes in human rights to happen because the new and improved technology of the decade made the transfer of ideas much easier. This means that art was traveling to incredible amounts of people all over the country, something never before seen in our society. The radio and TV made music much more available; people no longer had to travel to venues to listen to live music, rather, they could just listen to music in their own living rooms. Photography also made its way onto the television, where images directly from war were being broadcasted for the first time. Works of literature also became more accessible with the advent of the Underground Press, which made its way around college campuses and rebellious communities. Literature/The Underground Press
The Underground Press were often periodicals (such as the Freep, Village Voice, Berkeley Barb, Chicago Seed, and Rag) that emerged from radical college communities dedicated to revolution. The writers used the publications as a means to overcome the shortcomings of the mass media, "which parodied, trivialized, and slighted the efforts of social justice activists" (Peck 1991). Finally, the public had access to a news source that shared information from the other side of the war opinions. For more information: Peck, A. (1991). Uncovering the Sixties: The life and times of the underground press. New York, NY: Carol. (Original work published 1985) Examples of Art from Today,
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