Throughout history, Mississippi has been the host of the sounds of the oppressed. African-Americans arrived in the United States as slaves, and eventually, quite a few were living in Mississippi, working day in and day out. The emotions of the slaves and poor folks of that time period were expressed through their voices as song and chants.
These songs became what was known as the Blues.
Something about Blues music is alluring to me, maybe because it originated in Mississippi, or maybe because the voices of this sadness speak to my soul, in a way that no other style of music can do. Blues is the building block of every other form of music. It was the first form of music that was truly personal.
I've checked out the book Stomping the Blues, by Albert Murray. It is a book about the origination, the evolution, and the influence of blues in popular culture. I also plan to use the Internet to my advantage and find sites and articles that pertain to my topic of Mississippi Blues.
I hope to construct a PowerPoint with my findings, outlining each of the subtopics in Mississippi Blues. I may even perform a song- after all, I do love to play music.
