Civil Rights, Hip-hop, and Hope (4)

Earlier this week Dr. Alton B. Pollard III touched on Civil Rights, Hip Hop, and hope. He described how young people have always been the initiators of revolutions and how they have always deeply impacted the world. The 1948 Wichita Kansas sit in was brought up in which a small group of young black students sat in at a Wichita diner, but were ignored everyday they came because of the color of their skin. So they came twice a week and were ignored every time until the diner’s owner changed the policy of discriminating by gender, age, or skin color. This led to the NAACP’s support of sit- ins and the 1960, Greensboro, Northern Carolina sit in. This historic reminder provided an example of innovative young people that made a change. During the presentation various Hip-hop artists were shown, because they are the new civil rights activists of their time. They are the expression, passion, and the voice of their people. Dr. Pollard let it be known that Hip Hop and rap are not the same. Hip-hop is not only just the music created by these Hip-hop artists, but it was explained that Hip Hop was its own culture. Through Common, KRS-one, LL Cool J, Tupac, Biggie Smalls, Chuck D., Nas, Talib Kweli, A Tribe Called Quest, Mos Def, Dead Prez, and many other Hip-hop artists that this culture of Hip Hop was created. As young people we are the hope of this young nation, but more so the world. Our generation has high expectations and losing is not an option.