105k views
2 votes
What concerns and fears did some white people have about Jazz music when it was first developing? In what ways did some artists, like Louis Armstrong, feel the need to respond to these concerns?

User Espresso
by
8.6k points

1 Answer

1 vote
Some white people had concerns and fears about Jazz music when it was first developing because it was associated with African American culture and was seen as a threat to traditional white values and social order. They feared that Jazz music would encourage immoral behavior and undermine the racial hierarchy. Some artists, like Louis Armstrong, felt the need to respond to these concerns by promoting Jazz music as a positive force for social change and cultural exchange. Armstrong believed that Jazz music could bring people of different races and backgrounds together and help to break down racial barriers. He also emphasized the technical skill and artistry required to play Jazz music, challenging the stereotype that it was a primitive or unskilled form of music. By doing so, Armstrong and other Jazz musicians helped to legitimize Jazz music as a serious art form and paved the way for its wider acceptance in mainstream culture.
User Kels
by
7.9k points