1. Backlash Blues Presentation by Matlaleng Babatunde

2. Backlash Blues

3. Song History Written in 1967 by Langston Hughes Sang by Nina Simone on 1967 album Nina Simone Sings the Blues Origins in Jazz & Blues One of Langston Hughes last protest poems before his death in May of 1967

4. Musical Description Nina Simone’s distinctive sound which she was criticized for: Genre: Soul with Jazz and Blues influences Progressive Tempo Atonal Gravely Timbre Culmination of piano, organ, base Dynamics: In 1968 Nina Simone added a verse about Langston Hughes’ death Verse performed softly to express vulnerability but the following chorus was loud to show resilience

5. Historical Context The 60s housed multiple movements: Civil Rights Movement, Black Power Movement, Women’s Movement, Anti-Vietnam War Movement etc. Nina Simone and Langston Hughes were good friends and part of a social circle of Black intellectuals and artists fighting for equity Nina Simone began intentionally making protest music in 1964 with “Mississippi Goddamn” Her protest music was criticized because of her radical call for self-defense and Black feminist perspective

6. Power of “Backlash Blues” The fact that Nina Simone did not write the song makes it more powerful It is the product of the very collective power that the song advocates for The musical components resist to the mainstream idea of acceptable music

7. Power of Backlash Blues When I try to find a job To earn a little cash All you got to offer Is your mean old white backlash But the world is big Big and bright and round And it's full of folks like me Who are Black, Yellow, Beige and Brown (Hughes, Simone)

8. Power of Backlash Blues Nina Simone, a Black Woman, identifies herself with the global community of color Interpreted poverty, and the Vietnam War as actions of “white backlash” Exposed the insidious intersectional ways white supremacy affected the lives of people of color socially, economically, and politically Through realizing all the intersectional ways white supremacy affects people of color, a community of color is created