Exploring the Impact of Afro-American Contributions in America

This essay critically examines George S. Schuyler's argument in "The Negro-Art Hokum" regarding the lack of original art forms produced by Afro-Americans. It refutes Schuyler's claims by highlighting the significant influence of African musical styles on various American music genres, including jazz, blues, and rock and roll. The essay acknowledges the contributions of prominent Afro-American musicians like Michael Jackson and Prince, while also addressing the ongoing economic disparities faced by the community, such as the income gap between black and white families. The analysis underscores the lasting impact of Afro-American contributions to American culture, music, and the challenges faced by them in achieving social and economic parity.

The upside of Afro-Americans’ contribution
The essay entitled “The Negro -Art Hokum” by George S. Schuyler underlines thatthe Afro-
Americans are not capable of producing any radically new art form as they have been born
and brought up in the same environment as their white counterparts. There is no
distinguishable form of Negro art in America and there was little possibility of Afro-
Americans churning out new art forms expressing the peculiar psychology.
The slave songs that the Negros are identified with were mostly based on Protestant hymns
and Biblical texts. While the whites contributed to the development of genres like Jazz music,
there was no denying that dance forms like the Charleston dance had roots in slave dances but
these were contributed by a caste in a small section. Negros living in elsewhere in America
and even Africa were unfamiliar with these dance forms. Such art forms do not reflect the
characteristics of the Negro race. As far as the musical contribution of peasantry of South was
concerned any group of people under similar situation created similar music, it was just a
coincidence that they happened to be coloured people unlike the rest. There were noticeable
similarities between the strains of Russian music and those of the Southern Negro.
Similarly, there is no difference in the literature, paintings and sculptures of Afro-Americans
and Negros and the white Americans. In fact, there is evidence indicating to European
influence.
However, such sweeping denial of the contribution of Afro-Americans looks out of place
when one takes note of deep influence the African music styles on popular genres of
American music and dance (Wilber, 2017). It led to various innovations in music and dance
that helped popularise various forms across the people, irrespective of the colour.
Hilburner (2015) asserts that musical traditions African slaves brought along make a deep
impact on almost every genre of music, blues, rock and roll, and jazz, though they may not

have any role in creating theseforms. Even music identified exclusively with Caucasians,
such as rock and country, bear the stamp of innovative styles of African American musicians.
Despite remarkable contribution of African Americanand its lasting impact on country’s
musical culture, the whites continued to look down upon their musical styles just to assert
their supremacy (Wilber, 2017).
In recent years the emergence of popular Afro-American like Michael Jackson, Prince, Louis
Armstrong, Jimmy Hendriks ,Tina Turner and many others who captivated the whites with
their vibrant music and exercised overpowering influence over them had a positive impact on
the social and economic status.However, they have still a long way to go to draw levels with
the native whites.
The average income of black families was just 43 percent of that of their white counterparts
in 2005. In 2007 the black family earned $55,265, which was 43 percent of thenon-Hispanic
household income of $86,732 (Adejumo).Worse, in 2008 the annual income of over 20% of
African-Americans was under $15,000, double the percentage of whites, Asians and
Hispanics.
The global recession that hit economies across the world impacted the African-American
family incomes more severely than whites’. Consequently, the average income of black
household came down to $50,654 in 2010, which came to 61% of the average earningsof
white family, down from 64 percent in 2007.
References:
Wilber Jennifer (2017). The African Roots of All American Popular Musical Styles.
Spinditty. Retrieved from https://spinditty.com/genres/The-African-Roots-of-All-American-
Popular-Musical-Styles

Hilburner M. (2015). "It Ain't No Cake Walk": The Influence of African American Music
and Dance on the American Cultural Landscape. Virginia Social Science Journal, 50, 73-80
Adejumo Vincent (2019). Opinion: These numbers prove African-Americans still haven’t
recovered from the financial crisis. Marketwatch. Retrieved from
https://www.marketwatch.com/story/these-numbers-prove-african-americans-still-havent-
recovered-from-the-financial-crisis-2019-02-06