Mixtape: African Americans with Accommodation and Resistance

 Ashton Turner

Dr. Harris 

African American literature 2016

Final Project

12/01/2025

Mixtape: African Americans with Accommodation and Resistance 

Introduction: I am doing a mixtape that consist of the binary oppositions of accommodation and resistance throughout history with African Americans. Accommodation is a special arrangement that allows people to meet another person’s needs. Resistance is the refusal to comply or to prevent something from happening by action or argument. My main sources are The Alanta Compromise and Of Training of Black Men. In The Alanta Compromise Booker T. Washington argues that African Americans should worry about their economic status rather than to protest for immediate political and social equality. W.E.B Du Bois challenges Washington’s argument in Of Training of Black Men That African Americans should fight for equal rights and not accept being 2nd class citizens in America. Each track of this mixtape will highlight forms of resistance or accommodation and in some songs both. https://open.spotify.com/playlist/30mLbcvuFhz8vUBX0ZQOp5?si=nlN0V3CKR2G7pY0KDNHmfg

Mixtape and track list:

  1. “A Change Is Gonna Come” by Sam Cooke

  • Accommodation: Within this song you hear the struggle in Sam Cooke’s voice that expresses hopefulness and resilience within the lyrics. He gives listeners the intent that he wants rights for African Americans, but not in a protesting and fighting type of way. He paints a strong picture during the Jim Crow era, which was full of accommodation like separation amongst white and African Americans 


  1. “They Don’t Really Care About Us” by Michael Jackson 

  • Resistance: This song by Michael Jackson is a powerful message that attacks social and political problems within America. Michael’s voice throughout this song exclaims his and African American’s pain with prejudice and social injustice. Not only does his voice give these traits but he incorporates drums and guitars roaring at the listener giving them a thought of a violent march and attack on the terrible systems that have been incorporated within America.


  1. “Optimistic” by Sounds Of Blackness 

  • With this song being upbeat it encourages the listener to follow in its footsteps. it has lyrics that says “no matter how hard reality seems. Just hold on to your dreams, yeah. Don’t give up and don’t give in, although it seems you never win.”. These lyrics talk about how African Americans shouldn’t give up hope on getting equality in America and how they should not succumb to despair even if it seems that they aren’t getting in anywhere.


  1. “Keep Your Head To The Sky” by Earth, Wind, and Fire

  • Accommodation: This is a smooth funk groove song by earth wind and fire that provides the target audience with a sense of hope and resilience. It also gives African Americans a sense of self and spiritual empowerment. It highlights perseverance through hard times.


  1. “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised” by Gil Scott-Hernon

  • Resistance: This song uses the word televised as a metaphor for the fights for change through media. Gil Scott-Heron talks about how this media is not going to change anything, which on the contrary he counters this problem by saying the fight needs to be on the streets instead. He is speaking to the passive African Americans who are just sitting at home instead of being in the streets and actively fighting the system.


  1. “Alright” by Kendrick Lamar

  • Resistance: Kendrick mixes his personal struggles and struggle of majority of African Americans to highlight things that are going on in the country past and present. Kendrick uses his incredible rap skills and cadence to convey his messages to the listener. This song became widely adopted for Black Lives Matter protest.


  1. “Say It Loud- I’m Black and I’m Proud” by James Brown

  • Resistance: James Brown uses the lyrics, “Say it loud (I’m black and I’m proud).” To give African Americans a sense of self and cultural pride. Brown uses the lyrics, “Some people say we got a lot of malice. Some say it’s a lotta nerve. But I say we won’t quit movin’. Until we get what we deserve.”. This song is what African Americans needed in the civil rights era by giving them prideful and fighting messages.



  1. “This Is America” by Childish Gambino

  • Resistance: It is a song about what is going on culturally in America. Childish Gambino highlights the black experience in America by using lyrics and symbolism to critique systematic racism, gun violence, and the role that African Americans play in the entertainment industry that distracts America from the key issues that are going on. The song and the visuals show that America sees violence and black culture as entertainment instead of doing something about the problems that lead to the violence in black culture.


  1. “Stand Up (From Harriet)” by Cynthia Erivo

  • Resistance: This beautiful song which is inspired by Harriet Tubmans experience with her journeys and the underground railroad. This song gives the listeners sounds and words to motivate them to stand up and fight against any oppression that faces them. The song encourages people to fight for their rights and freedom by any means necessary.


  1. “Glory (From the Motion Picture Selma) by Common, John Legend

  • Resistance: This song efficiently combines rap, r&b, and gospel to convey the message in the song. The song talks about past achievements for African Americans, but also how there are more things still needed to be done about the corrupt system that has America in a chokehold. This song has lyrics that says, “Now the war is not over, victory isn’t won. But we’ll fight on to the finish when it’s all done.


  1. “Strange Fruit” by Billie Holiday

  • Resistance: This a disturbing song with vivid imagery of African Americans being lynched. The song does not promote any protesting messages, but it does encourage them. The song has lyrics that says, “Southern trees bear a strange fruit. Blood on the leaves and blood at the root. Black bodies swingin’ in the Southern breeze. Strange fruit hangin’from the popular trees.”. It compares lynched African Americans to fruit hanging on trees. This song left African Americans no choice to start facing these lynchings and protesting them.


  1. “Ebony And Ivory” by Paul McCartney, Stevie Wonder

  • Accommodation: This song displays hopeful messages of black and white people being able to live in Harmony. It uses piano keys as metaphor to represent how black and white people can work together to be able to meet common objectives.

Although it has these optimistic messages, it does not talk about the problems and barriers that are keeping America from this dream.


  1. “What’s Going On” by Marvin Gaye

  • Accommodation and resistance: In this song Marvin Gaye tackles systematic racism and social injustice. The lyrics, “We don’t need to escalate. You see, war is not the answer. For only love can conquer hate.” gives off more of a passive approach. Notably He talks about the Vietnam war, but these lyrics could go that and the fight for equal rights.


Wrapping it up: This mixtape explores the ideas of Booker T. Washington and W.E.B Du Bois and their claims about Accommodation and Resistance. The mixtape should show the listener how both binary oppositions can elevate African Americans, but in their own ways. In songs like “They Don’t Care About Us” and “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised” promote protest and resistance. In songs like “Ebony and Ivory” and “Optimistic” promote hopefulness and optimism but are passive or does not attack the problems within America.

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