Question for all the black DU'ers

[brainwashed_youth]

Alright, I got a question for all the black DU'ers. As we all know, Black Histoy Month is right around the corne. AS usual, we'll all celebrate the usuals like MLK, Malcolm X, Harriet Tubman, and others. Well, my question is this....how come no one ever say anything about Jimi Hendrix. He's the greatest guitar player ever and he seems to get passed by for black history month ever year.



p.s. This is just a goofy question I thought of so don't read into it anymore than you have to. Although I would like to see Jimi honored during black history month:7

[BigDaddyLove]

1. I'm not black, so I don't have that perspective..........

but I will say that including Hendrix in with MLK, X, and Tubman seems a little much......Jimi was a great entertainer, but not in the same league.

[brainwashed_youth]

2. Oh hey

I know that, but I would at least like to see him get some recognition. I mean, after all, what would rock be without him?

[BigDaddyLove]

3. I think that almost everytime anyone sees a Fender........

Stratocaster one's mind eventually drifts toward Hendrix.

I also think that Hendrix is more in the popular mind than MLK already.

[ProudGerman]

4. Why not?

He was a visionary in his field, and as an artist, second to none. His contributions to American culture can not be ignored. Hell, he played the single greatest interpretation of our National Anthem I've ever heard.

I look at it this way. I overhear freeper aquaintances of mine bitching about Black History Month. Their kids learn about all the ideas and objects that black inventors created, and they scoff at every one saying if a black man hadn't invented it, some white person would have enventually.(completely ignoring the fact that the black man/woman beat their precious white people to it) They can't scoff at Jimi like that. The world had him for the brief period that it did, and no one comes close. If Jimi hadn't been around, there wouldn't have been a "someone else who would have done what he did eventually."

The contributions of artists are no less important than anyone else's in a culture. In fact, I think it helps matters, for many many white people, Jimi is a god.

[brainwashed_youth]

5. what he said

:bounce:

[BigDaddyLove]

6. I don't dispute the contribution that Hendrix made to...........

our culture; my point is, that BECAUSE he looms so large on the American stage there is no need to focus even more attention on him, I feel we should focus more on those black people and their achievements that aren't so well known.

[CrownPrinceBandar]

7. Yeah...

Why not. Jimi may not have been a prolific political leader, but he did motivate a generation, black and white. I started playing guitar because of Hendrix.

While he may not have shaken the poitical landscape as much as some black leaders, he did alot of positive work for racial understanding. Its my opinion that he deserves to be honored just as much as Malcolm X and Rosa Parks. He easily did for music what Maya Angelou, Toni Morisson and Richard Wright did for literature (and then some).

I like the idea of shining light on some of the lesser known forces in black politics and culture. Look at Basquiat for example. Other than a mediocre film portrayal a few years back, not many have heard of him. Great grafitti artist, protege of Warhol.

[BigDaddyLove]

10. O.K.............

Go up to your average (white) man on the street and ask him if he has ever heard of Jimi Hendrix and what he did for a living; then, ask the same about Frederick Douglass and see what kind of response you get.

[CrownPrinceBandar]

13. Your'e right... unfortunately.

It seem that there is an awful lot of ingnorance about other cultures flying around this world. I like to think its getting better. :D

[slor]

8. I have to admit...

that very few of my fellow African American friends seem aware of him or his music. I personally listened in my youth, but truth be told, I was introduced to it by my white friends. I enjoyed many forms of music as I grew up, but my favorite music was/is alternative, as far as influence on my life. Loved the Smiths, Cure, U2, Cibo Matto, Tricky...well too many to list. I love Jazz and Worldbeat music too. I have very eclectic tastes as far as music goes.

[Kamika]

9. we celebrate malcolm X ?

Why?

[brainwashed_youth]

11. well....

Because he did alot to empower blacks during the late 50's and 60's. Personally, I didn't like X calling me and my kind "white devils" but fortuneately he changed his thinking. I think X deserves recognition in black history month.



p.s. If ur really interested in X, read his autobiography.

[rocktivity]

12. Jimi played rock (aka "white music")

never mind that black people helped invent it. In those days, a proper black musican played soul music, and a proper soul guitarist played rhythm, not lead. In addition, Jimi dressed like a hippie rather than a soul brother, and screwed white women in London while civil rights marchers were getting firehosed. In other words, he's seen as a musical Uncle Tom.

I know this because while I started out on Motown and funk, I was also a big Beatles fan. They led me into to what is now known as "classic" rock, which got me branded as a traitor to my race. I heard a radio interview where Jimi's original drummer said he didn't know he'd been replaced until the release of the Band Of Gypsys album, which featured black bandmates. Since then, I've always referred to it as his "black guilt" album!


rocknation

P.S. A guide at the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame nearly lost his job after showing a visiting elementary school class the Hendrix exhibit. The teacher complained that having been a drug addict, Hendrix was not a good role model. Guess that school won't be sponsoring any trips to Washington DC anytime soon!