News

The Art & Awakening of Abbey Lincoln, Jazz Singer and Civil Rights Activist

Abbey Lincoln was a jazz singer, actress, and civil rights activist. In this interview from 2003, part of the Smithsonian Jazz Oral History Program, she talks about the profound ways that slavery has impacted her African American family and emphasizes the importance of her own freedom—socially, politically, and creatively.

She was 𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧 Anna Marie Wooldridge, but in the mid-1950s, one of her managers suggested she change it to Abbey Lincoln. “Like Abraham Lincoln,” she recalls him saying. “Since Abraham Lincoln didn’t free the slaves, maybe you can handle it.”

Abbey Lincoln was a jazz singer, not a politician, but in this 2003 interview, part of the Smithsonian Jazz Oral History Program, she discusses her political awakening and the importance of art and music in her life.

I think of myself as the lioness, the sign I was 𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧 under, and the lion will eat you and will get you.

Lincoln grew up in Michigan, the granddaughter of enslaved African Americans. When her grandmother was freed in 1865, the man who enslaved her “sent her out of the house with a dime and a couple of blankets,” Lincoln says. Her grandparents lived in abandoned streetcars, and the family worried that her grandfather’s violence was a trauma response to the horrors of enslavement.

Lincoln struggled in school. She found that jazz music offered her the space and freedom to be fully herself. “There is no such thing as jazz,” she says. “There’s only a song and your spirit and your ancestors.” Lincoln used the stage as a platform to sing about the struggles that Black people faced. That passion for justice, she says, turned her singing into art:

“I, Abbey Lincoln, sing about what is most important to me, and what is most important to me is being free of the shackles that chain me in every walk of life that I live. If this were not so, I would still be a supper club singer.”

Related Posts

Breaking News: Ben Affleck looks downcast as he returns to the Artists Equity office after being temporarily evacuated from his $20.5 million Brentwood mansion, which narrowly escaped the LA fire, including… see more

Ben Affleck appeared a bit downcast as he returned to his Artists Equity office in Los Angeles on Sunday after being temporarily forced to evacuate his $20.5M five-bedroom, six-bathroom Brentwood mansion…

Nina Dobrev confesses heartily that she has “survivor’s guilt” because her house survived the fires in Los Angeles

Nina Dobrev admits she’s been feeling “survivor’s guilt” over her home being spared by the Los Angeles wildfires. Taking to Instagram over the weekend, the “Vampire Diaries” alum addressed…

CONTROVERSIAL TWEET: Elon Musk Ban“NO BIOLOGICAL MAN IS ALLOWED” in Women’s Sports – Twitter Erupts!

The receipt of joiпt dispυte statemeпt of‘Eloп Mυsk is certaiп that the boycott of “biological meп” participatioп iп womeп’s sports has sparked aп iпteпse debate oп social media…

BREAKING NEWS: Whoopi Goldberg, Megan Rapinoe, and Taylor Swift decide to leave the United States.

Iп a move that has seпt shockwaves throυgh the worlds of sports, eпtertaiпmeпt, aпd ecoпomics, veteraп talk show host Whoopi Goldberg, soccer icoп Megaп Rapiпoe, aпd pop sυperstar…

Shocking News! Julia Roberts reveals plans to leave the U.S. after losing $15M in ad deals.

Julia Roberts, the famous actress once known as Hollywood’s “Beautiful Woman”, surprised the public when she revealed her plan to leave the US. This announcement came right after…

Breaking News: Elon Musk’s audacious move! He’s spearheading a campaign to cancel ‘The View’ for good

Elon Musk, the famous tech billionaire and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, has once again made headlines with a bold move. This time, Musk is leading a campaign…

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *