As a central figure of the Civil Rights Movement and in a time of blatant racism and oppression for African Americans, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. rallied artists — from singer Mahalia Jackson to entertainer Harry Belafonte — to serve on the front lines in the fight for social justice.
Since his assassination in 1968, King’s impact lives through television programs, national celebrations, and the generations of Black creatives who have since continued his mission of transforming society within their realms of artistic expression.
“Art has the power to provide change in the passing of people’s emotions, but history is referred to as things of the past,” said lyricist Charles “Eclipse” Barnes Jr., who released the song “History” in King’s memory. “What we do today immediately becomes history, right when we do it, and has an effect on our future; so it’s about, what are we doing today differently from the past that can change the future.”
Art has long been a powerful ally of social justice for African Americans. From the spiritual hymns sung during slavery and the civil rights era, to the detest of societal norms seen in the artistry of modern-day creatives like rapper Kendrick Lamar and artist Hank Willis Thomas, artivism (the intersection of activism and arts) has been important to Black culture overall.
Figures like Dr. King and his artistic allies set the tone for future generations to find their voice – or creative outlet – in the mission for a just society.
Today, local artists like Barnes, the Rev. Nathaniel Douglas and more enlist the powers of spoken word, visual arts, and music to influence change and reflect King’s legacy, a mission amplified throughout the District’s weeklong Martin Luther King (MLK) holiday celebration, which took place from Jan. 11 – 18.
“I’ve been able to really look at Dr. King–where he started, how he ended, and [ask] where do I pick up” said Douglas, pastor and revolutionary rapper. “There’s been a lot of repeating what Dr. King has already accomplished, but I think more so, it’s more important for us to pick up where he left off, and that’s what MLK week has done for me.”
D.C. Artists Pick Up Where King Left Off
As a premier destination for cultural arts and advocacy work, the nation’s capital is home to many change-making creatives in the business of making a difference.
In 2021, Barnes – a music educator and poet – debuted his single “History” to celebrate Black history and reflect Dr. King and Malcolm X’s respective journeys in the civil rights era. The song offers a call to action just as much as a lesson in the strength of unity. Four years later, its message remains as relevant as ever: recognizing the roles personal and daily actions play in the future of adversity.
“I work with a lot of youth…so I’ve seen a lot of kids have very positive outcomes and stay on track just by being in a situation of providing different paths, knowledge and comparison to the way that things were, and still presently are. Then [I show] them how we can change to do these things differently for tomorrow,” Barnes said, adding that the song was a “good fit” this year given the presidential transition.
The lyricist and educator isn’t the only one whose artistry stands as a rallying cry for change.
Like King, Douglas aims to empower the youth of tomorrow through what he refers to as “inspirational art.”
“I always rapped about the change I wanted to see, and hip-hop culture was my way of expression,” Douglas told The Informer. “[Through] the power of the spoken word, and that we do have creative power that was given to us by God, we can actually speak things into existence if God wills it.”
From performing poetry on U Street in his early days to representing inspirational rap across several churches and MLK celebrations this week, Douglas has always been at the forefront of revolutionizing through spoken word. His inspiration is a fusion of individuality and faith that not only attests to the word of God, but aims to ignite interest in the “difficult conversations” he recalls King initiating in his final sermons.
“I want to paint an image with my words that would have us start talking about the conversations that we are all avoiding right now,” he said. “I think a lot of us choose the safe and accepted lanes that Dr. King already paved…But to have those difficult conversations about what the government should be doing as it pertains to people of color in this country–those are conversations that can get you banned, silenced…that, even still today, can get you killed.”
That’s where the leverage of revolutionary art comes into play: an acceptable segway to address controversial topics introduced through an art form.
Pastor Douglas said to truly fortify King’s dream means to embrace divine intervention and give back to the community through any gifted calling.
“A lot of people say [to] love God, but I say how? And the way you love God is by accepting how He made you,” Douglas said. “That’s what the music is for, step-by-step instructions.”
Clarence James, an inspired and self-taught street artist, recognizes this responsibility in his own artistic pursuits, which include: contemporary abstract, graffiti and canvas art.
“Art is a protest…[it] does not ask for permission,” James said. “It’s beautiful, it’s going to inspire people, it’s going to give that spark and that energy–but then you have to take it somewhere.”
Originally from Raleigh, North Carolina, James tackled the path of social justice art after graduating from Howard University in 2014, starting with rebellions against systemic racism and oppression.
Like King, who’s also an alum of a historically Black institution (Morehouse College), James found motivation in the culture of an African American-centered educational environment. He cited Howard’s indoctrinated connection to the Black community as the fuel for a “shared idea of progress” that eventually molded his artistic rebellion, in addition to the works of activists like James Baldwin, Malcolm X, and King.
“My artistry definitely has a spirit and consciousness to it, where I feel like people can be improved by experiencing it,” James said. “Art is my way to have an artistic angle on pointing out truth, pointing out reality. The more information I acquire about my own experience in society, the more I feel compelled…to express what’s on my mind.”
The Howard alumnus fuses raw art with emotionally charged colors, challenging viewers with themes of identity, self-reflection, and the ongoing battle for visibility in art and history. His current works as a canvas artist uphold the spirit of resistance and freedom that once inspired him, and can now do the same for others.
“I’m more focused on empowering young people,” James told The Informer, “[and] artwork, doing what I’m doing, inspires young people.”
For James, a society in which equality and adequate representation is brought to fruition starts with a collaborative effort of authenticity among Black artists–simply being the change one wants to see in the world.
“Let’s, everybody, have an artistic idea, a creative moment…and take that moment and just try to just contribute what you can,” he told The Informer. That’s the kind of diversity [we] need…everyone being their best self.”
This story is part of the Digital Equity Local Voices Fellowship Lab. The Lab initiative is made possible with support from Comcast NBCUniversal.
I truly agree that we as black people need to pick up where Dr. King left off. In today’s society it’s not an easy task due to a plethora of things mainly fear. I feel that music is the best way to relay our thoughts. It is after all the universal language. Music does soothe the savage beast.i am all for it♥️