A special three part presentation of the Major Scale with Cornell Fine Arts Museum’s exhibit, African-American Art in the 20th Century, on loan from the Smithsonian American Art Museum. With a bounty of bold and brilliant masterworks from the likes of Romare Bearden, Lois Mailou Jones, Jacob Lawrence, and more, we're going to tie together the exhibit's themes of Jazz, the Blues, social commentary and civil rights with a look into the music of the era with the show’s curator, Virginia Mecklenburg.

Episode 2 - African-American Art in the 20th Century - Civil Rights, the African-American Experience, and Rallying Cry.

In the post World War II era, the pace of the Civil Rights Movement picked up rapidly. African-American life was in flux, with the demand for change and equality suddenly everywhere. Tragedy is concurrent with hope, as leaders and legislation attempt to move the country forward. The music moves right along with it and the arts come into their own. In this episode, we'll hear from uncompromising talents like Bo Diddley, Miles Davis, Charles Mingus, John Coltrane, Ornette Coleman, Amiri Baraka, and countless others who began to make their voices heard.