Legacy

"Jazz is not just music, it's a way of life, it's a way of being, a way of thinking."
~ Nina Simone

The legacy of Jazz has had a great impact in our world, pushing us to keep improving.

Shirley Chisholm before the panel drafting the platform for the Democratic National Convention in 1972. (AP / James Palmer).

Jazz helped women to leave the stereotype of wives and daughters and start to be seen as individuals. Jazz encouraged women to emerge as the Flappers or "the new women". This new image completely erased the stereotype of wives and daughters to begin to be seen as individuals, leading them to fight for their rights. Shirley Chisholm is a great example of how Black Americans got their place in society, and also shows how women continued to fight for their rights as individuals and demonstrate women are as important as men.

Jazz had influence over literature and music. Leaving the conventional style, jazz and poetry helped each other, exchanging ideas, styles, etc. Today's music styles like pop, rock and freestyle are influenced by jazz, and some artists incorporated jazz into their music to make their performances even better.

James Blood Ulmer will perform at the Sultan Room in Bushwick, Brooklyn, on Saturday, as part of Winter Jazzfest, which runs through Jan. 18.

James Blood Ulmer solo live Jazz festival 2015

The King & Carter Jazzing Orchestra, 1921: During the Jazz Age, popular music included current dance songs, novelty songs, and show tunes.

Finally, jazz also helped African American culture look desirable and important. For some, jazz was a way of remembering the oppressive times, and for others it was the beginning of the acceptance of black culture and history in America.

"I am not bitter about it. It is, after all, but a slight portion of the price my race must pay in its almost hopeless fight for a place in the sun. Someday it will be different and justice will prevail" ~James Reese Europe.