This ethnographic analysis examines the life stories and lyrics of four African blues singers. Specifically, it compares the cultural themes that emerge their life stories to the cultural themes at emerge from their commercially released music. The findings suggest that the singers recognize, to varying degrees, the impact of racism, sexism, and classism on their personal and careers. These same themes, however, are not present in the lyrics of the music that they choose to sing. Both the stories and the lyrics reveal internal inconsistencies that mirror one another. The conclusion suggests that the inconsistencies within their stories and music are consistent with their liminal position with regard to dominant and subordinate cultures.

Not available / text

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Chicago, Department of Sociology, June 2000. / Includes bibliographical references. Also available on the Internet.

This research explores Louis Armstrong’s artistic choices and their impact directly and indirectly on the African-American literary, visual and performing arts between 1923 and 1930 during the period known as the Harlem Renaissance. This research uses analyses of musical transcriptions and examples of the period’s literary and visual arts to verify the significance of Armstrong’s influence(s). This research also analyzes the early nineteenth century West-African musical practices evident in Congo Square that were present in the traditional jazz and cultural behaviors that Armstrong heard and experienced growing up in New Orleans. Additionally, through a discourse analysis approach, this research examines the impact of Armstrong’s art on the philosophical debate regarding the purpose of the period’s art. Specifically, W.E.B. Du Bois’s desire for the period’s art to be used as propaganda and Alain Locke’s admonitions that period African-American artists not produce works with the plight of blacks in America as the sole theme.

This research explores Louis Armstrong’s artistic choices and their impact directly and indirectly on the African-American literary, visual and performing arts between 1923 and 1930 during the period known as the Harlem Renaissance. This research uses analyses of musical transcriptions and examples of the period’s literary and visual arts to verify the significance of Armstrong’s influence(s). This research also analyzes the early nineteenth century West-African musical practices evident in Congo Square that were present in the traditional jazz and cultural behaviors that Armstrong heard and experienced growing up in New Orleans. Additionally, through a discourse analysis approach, this research examines the impact of Armstrong’s art on the philosophical debate regarding the purpose of the period’s art. Specifically, W.E.B. Du Bois’s desire for the period’s art to be used as propaganda and Alain Locke’s admonitions that period African-American artists not produce works with the plight of Blacks in America as the sole theme.

Thesis (M.A.)--Florida State University, 2003. / Advisor: Dr. Maxine Montgomery, Florida State University, College of Arts and Sciences, Dept. of English. Title and description from dissertation home page (viewed Apr. 9, 2004). Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California, San Diego, 1997. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 180-195).

The purpose of this thesis is to examine to what extent representations of double jeopardy and the stereotypical images of African American females: Mammy, Matriarch, Sapphire, and Strong Black Woman emerge in the blues lyrics of Alberta Hunter, Gertrude "Ma" Rainy, Memphis Minnie, and Victoria Spivey, using the theoretical framework of Black feminist rhetorical critique. The findings in this research entail several meanings regarding the lives of African American women during the 1920s and 1930s. Representations of racism, sexism, and classism also appear in the theme of relationships with various subthemes. The focus of this study is to explore the evolution of Black music and examine the role women have played in both the development and advancement of the blues genre. Additionally, the study will explore various concepts of cultural identity development in order to establish the process of how identity is constructed and negotiated in African Americans specifically African American women.

Thesis submitted in: Dec. 1998. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1999. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 103-[105]). / Abstract also in Chinese. / Chapter Chapter One: --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 1. --- Signifying: An African American Speech Act --- p.1 / Chapter 2. --- Brief Background of Robert Johnson and Blind Lemon Jefferson --- p.4 / Chapter 3. --- Blues Craze --- p.5 / Chapter Chapter Two: --- Blues Genre --- p.8 / Chapter 1. --- Defining' the Blues --- p.8 / Chapter 2. --- Interpretations of the Blues Genre --- p.12 / Chapter 3. --- Three Downhome Blues Singer's Interpretations of the Blues --- p.15 / Chapter 4. --- """You wanta signifyin' like" --- p.18 / Chapter Chapter Three: --- Signifying and the Blues --- p.20 / Chapter 1. --- Signifying --- p.21 / Chapter 2. --- Implicature --- p.24 / Chapter 3. --- Face Threatening Acts --- p.34 / Chapter 4. --- Off Record FTAs --- p.35 / Chapter 5. --- Off Record FTAs and Signifying --- p.36 / Chapter 6. --- Off record FTA and Signifying in Blues --- p.39 / Chapter 7. --- Signifying and Call-and-Response --- p.42 / Chapter 8. --- Signifying and the Guitar --- p.47 / Chapter 9. --- Signifying and T in Blues Recordings --- p.51 / Chapter 10. --- Signifying and Spirituals --- p.54 / Chapter Chapter Four: --- Robert Johnson and Blind Lemon Jefferson --- p.60 / Chapter 1. --- Robert Jonhson (1911-1938) --- p.60 / Chapter 2. --- Blind Lemon Jefferson (1897-1929) --- p.81 / Chapter Chapter Five: --- Conclusion --- p.98 / Bibliography --- p.103

Thesis (M.A.)--Acadia University, 2000. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 120-124). Also available on the Internet via the World Wide Web.