jennieA

__By: Jennie Albright__
__**Introduction:**__ Welcome to my Wikispace. This page is a history project in which we had to relate the music we listen to with African American history. I had to choose three songs and show their connections to African American history. These songs had to be (2) any song from anywhere and any time in the world, (1) a song that was released at least 20 years before my birth, and my third song had to be a song from any place in the world except the United States, Canada, and United Kingdom. As you can see, my page includes music videos of the songs I chose and pictures of the artists. I also included a discussion including a link to a page I researched during my first semester about racism and our body’s natural instinct towards people of another race. I included the article because it was interesting to learn that racism may be a biological problem and my discussion touches on the relationship between races and how it relates to American history.

[[image:Aerosmith.JPG width="183" height="267" align="right" caption="Aerosmith Ofiicial Site" link="http://www.aerosmith.com/index.cfm/pk/content/pid/400028"]]
**Song Name:** Dream On **Artist:** Aerosmith **Released:** 1973 **Genre:** Hard Rock/ Blues-Rock **Summary:** Steven Tyler says, "It's about the hunger to be somebody: Dream until your dreams come true." Steven Tyler introduces the dream of the world, to be happy, a dream all of America has been working towards for decades. America's eyes are clouded by color, and we all need to look through that to see that we all want the same thing and we can't get there if we don't become one, as brothers, as sisters, as a country.

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[[image:041111_eminem_vmed.widec.jpg width="219" height="305" align="right" caption="Eminem Official Site" link="http://www.eminem.com"]]
**Song Name:** Sing For The Moment **Artist:** Eminem (Marshall Mathers) **Released:** 2003 **Genre:** Rap **Summary:** “Eminem samples the song Dream On by rock group Aerosmith. Joe Perry of Aerosmith plays the guitar solo at the end of the song, and Steven Tyler sings the songs chorus.” “"Sing for the Moment" is one of his most lyrically praised singles. It deals with the themes of rap music's effect on society…” During slavery and in future music people used spoken word as a way of music and a way to express their thoughts, feelings, and what was going on in the world.

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 **Artist:** Marc Gunn **Released:** 2007 <span style="color: rgb(249, 73, 1)">**Genre:** World <span style="color: rgb(249, 73, 1)">**Summary:** This song is about happiness. It’s about not judging a person by their outer skin, but loving them because they make you happy. It uses the analogy of a princess and a toad and compares it to the people today who are only looking for happiness.
 * Song Name:** When Irish Eyes Are Smiling

<span style="color: rgb(249, 73, 1)">

Throughout our studies of African American history I have been constantly reminded that we are all alike. During slavery, segregation, racism, and riots we've been dealing with the same problem. That problem is how humans cannot accept things or people that are different from them. I read an article at the beginning of the year about racism. The article described how it isn't something easily overcome. Not only are we influenced by our ancestors and the people around us, but we genetically and biologically do not accept what doesn't look like us from the outside. It said that we act in fear and mistreat and hurt others to prove our "superiority" to that people. I chose these three songs because they represent a dream. A dream that doesn't only represent what one race wants, but what society as a whole wishes for every night on a shooting star. They describe the dream of America and countries beyond that we as humans forget because we judge people by the color of their skin or eyes. I believe that our past does affect our future, but I also believe that it can make us see and fix the mistakes of our past to create a better future for all of us by seeing that we all want the same dream and it is us who are responsible for seeing that we are all the same and should be treated that way. This is what i hope to get across to the people that see this site and the people in the future that may be influenced by those of us who see this.
 * How does this relate to African American history?**

<span style="color: rgb(255, 70, 0)">**If you would like to view the article click on this link:** http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/1998/08/980804075854.htm