Summer of Soul: Unity of Music

The 1960s was remembered as one of the most influential and significant decades in history with many social, cultural, and political changes. This era was characterized by numerous events that changed society including the civil rights movement, the Vietnam War, anti-war protests, countercultural movements, the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Bays of Pigs Invasion, Apollo 11, and the assassination of influential leaders. This was also a decade remembered for its music of rock and roll, rhythm and blues, and folk rock. But, most specifically, antiwar music. 

This brings us to the Summer of Soul festival. The Summer of Soul Festival was a positive representation of the 60s as it was a “direct response to the profound losses and violence endured by Black activists and progressives” (Cooper 2021). The Harlem Cultural Festival was a non-violent attempt to combat the institutionalized racism that led to the death of many political figures, like Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. In response to this the concert was organized as a way to push for social justice by inviting black musicians and artists to perform. One artist in particular, Questlove, intervenes in the televised Apollo 11 moon landing with footage of Walter Cronkite and other TV reporters interviewing “unimpressed black festival goers”:

Reporter: What are your thoughts on the moon landing?

Festival attendee: As far as science goes, and everybody that’s involved with the moon landing and astronauts, it’s beautiful. Me? I couldn’t care less.

Reporter: This [Summer of Soul festival] means more to you than that?

Festival attendee: Yeah, much more. The cash they wasted, as far as I’m concerned, in getting to the moon, could have been used to feed poor Black people in Harlem and all over the place, all over this country. Never mind the moon, let’s get some of that cash in Harlem.

The historical moment that shaped the film was the moon landing that was broadcast nationwide. What makes the moon landing more significant is that it was broadcast during the exact date of the festival; July 20, 1969. 

Questlove is signifying that the moon landing is not as important as the speakers and musicians celebrating black culture and unity. One of the interviewees mentioned how instead of wasting taxpayer money on space exploration they could use it to eradicate poverty and racist oppression on Earth. Gospel music was used to honor the legacy of civil rights activists Malcolm X and Martin Luther King with songs that promised: “Oh Happy Day”. The Summer of Soul celebrates black history, culture, and fashion through the filming of the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival. It celebrates the music of multiple black artists from soul, gospel, jazz, funk, and R&B, to blues and rock. Many top Black artists performed at the festival such as Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone, B.B. King, the Chambers Brothers, Chuck Jason, David Ruffin, Mongo Santamaría, and so many more. 

                                        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhMSZKIpWMk 

Summer of Soul looks back at the past, a time when African Americans were fighting for equal rights and celebrating their love and unity through music; a nonviolent protest. 

-  Blanca Acosta Reyes

Work Cited

Cooper, Carol. “After a Violent Winter, the ‘summer of Soul’ Was a Musical Moment of Healing.” NPR, NPR, 13 July 2021, www.npr.org/2021/07/13/1015347905/summer-of-soul-questlove-1969-harlem-cultural-festival#:~:text=Unlike%20Woodstock%2C%20these%20concerts%20were,progressives%20that%20preceded%20that%20summer.

PicturePerfectChannel. “Summer of Soul (...or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) (2021) - Video Dailymotion.” Dailymotion, Dailymotion, 29 Nov. 2023, www.dailymotion.com/video/x8q238l.