These documents from 1962-1980 are on the topic of The Environmental Movement. Each document projects that if changes are not made, humans will be responsible for the downfall of the environment. Rachel Carson wrote a book called "Silent Spring" in response to the pesticides being irresponsibly placed anywhere contaminating water supplies for animals. Another document includes a section of President Nixon's State of the Union Adress. A quote from this reads "We can no longer afford to consider air and water common property." These documents are creating a narrative that individual people should be held accountable for there actions regarding the environment. 

Pesticides being sprayed

The Freedom Riders 

Link

The Freedom Riders were a group of black and white most activists whose goal was to desegregate the bus transit system in the south. Segregation was a regular part of African Americans lives, especially if they lived in the south. Black people were forced to ride at the back of the bus even if there wasn't any room. They also had separate bus station areas that were the opposite of luxurious. White supremacy was growing stronger and actions needed to be taken. On May 4th, 1961, 13 activists chosen by the CORE (Congress of Racial Equality) boarded Greyhound and Trailway buses. They rode all the way from Washington to New Orleans with blacks and whites sitting together. Not many people took notice until they got down to southern states where violence took place. On May 14th, the group of riders faced a white mob in Anniston, Alabama  The mob chased down the bus and beat the people inside. Bombs were also thrown onto the bus forcing the people inside to flee.

Link

The Freedom Riders had to endure two more attacks in Alabama. One was in Birmingham. The public safety commissioner, Bull Connor, claimed that he knew the freedom riders would be coming, but he decided not to set up any measures of protection because it was mother's day. CORE members on the buss backed out from going further because it was too violent. However, the SNCC (Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee) took their place. These students had to face the horrible mob in Montgomery, Alabama. Later on, many African Americans were arrested of "disturbing the peace". They were sent to Parchman Penitentiary and stayed there for 39 days. Finally, the supreme court recognized the problem and regulations were put in place forbidding the segregation of the bus systems.

I wanted to compose a piece of music inspired by the bravery and the story of the Freedom Riders. I knew that I wanted to have a section in the music that had a lot of motion. The progression of the buses and the civil rights movement was the reason that I wanted that motion in the music. Next, I wanted to include music that the Freedom Riders sang while on the bus. Music played a very important role in the civil rights movement. It unified everyone when they were in jail, and it kept them going through hard times. I have always loved some of the gospel songs that came out of African American culture. Something about singing them is therapeutic and healing. I wanted to create a similar comforting feeling when including one of the songs in my piece. I chose "Hallelujah I'm a Traveling". When I listened to it,  it was being sung with no harmony, but I was able to hear the potential and power it could have. I placed it following an intense sounding part of the piece because its purpose was to comfort the people who were riding on the bus. Finally, I wanted to include the famous song "America the Beautiful", but change the harmonies to make it sound like something wasn't quite right. The irony of it points to the glaring racism that was going on in America at the time.  When putting the whole piece together, I took inspiration from "A Movement For Rosa" by Mark Camphouse and "City Trees" by Michael Markowski.



Link to score and playback:

https://musescore.com/user/19237061/scores/5520984

National Public Radio

Sources:

https://www.nps.gov/nr/feature/afam/2012/montgomery_greyhound_bus_station.htm

http://www.encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/h-1605

https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/freedom-rides

https://www.loc.gov/collections/civil-rights-history-project/articles-and-essays/music-in-the-civil-rights-movement/

https://musicedmasters.kent.edu/the-role-of-music-in-the-civil-rights-movement/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2p2TcmXveOo