Beyond the Beat: Music as Social Justice

In an era where teenagers are often inspired by the music coming through their headphones or portable speakers, they do not always stop to consider how generations before them have also had soundtracks guiding them through different periods of change.

The Social Justice 12 classes this term have had the chance to look at popular songs from the past, the artists who created or performed them and the impact they had on society. This project built off an assignment completed by the Contemporary Indigenous Studies 12 course, showing the cross-curricular themes the students are confronting. 

Students began with a lyrics analysis process, choosing songs like “What a Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong and Bob Dylan’s “Blowing in the Wind.”  They were often songs the students were familiar with but this was the first time they confronted the underlying themes within the songs such as optimism amidst racial oppression and anti-war protests. The students may have been drawn to the songs for the melodies and musical rhythm but gained a greater understanding of the role the lyrics played in inspiring change within a particular era in history.

Until January, the Royal BC Museum is hosting Beyond the Beat: Music of Resistance and Change, an exhibit that was curated in 2024 initially for the Human Rights Museum in Winnipeg. The three Social Justice 12 classes were able to visit the exhibit in downtown Victoria after piquing their interest through their independent song study. The display featured intriguing artifacts including one of Elton John’s stage outfits from 1972 and a stunning dress worn by Inuk artist Elisapie Isaac from a Polaris Music Prize Gala.

It was also a rich auditory experience, filled with interactive sound clips and the stories behind various song lyrics showing how they moved the pendulum on gender rights, racial equality and environmental preservation. At times, accompanying videos connected themes like the passionate civil rights protesters with footage of people rallying in the streets in the Black Lives Matter campaign of 2020.

The students also enjoyed the chance to reflect on thought-provoking questions posed throughout a stack of vinyl records in one corner of the exhibit. It resulted in reflections where students were able to connect key course content to what they were reinforcing through the various displays. 

When asked about what they learned about other people’s experiences through music, one Grade 11 student was able to highlight the artists’  “attempt to fight back against their issues related to prejudice, stereotypes and unnecessary dangers that some have to go through, simply because of a part of their identity” including racism and sexism.

Another student was able to see how particular marginalized populations have used music as a powerful social justice tool highlighting that, “from past to present, black artists have used music to challenge systemic racism, highlight social issues and most importantly celebrate [their] black identity . . . and gave them a fighting chance for liberty and kept their fight for equality alive.”

Unionist and songwriter Joe Hill said:

“A pamphlet, no matter how good, is never read more than once, but a song is learned by heart and repeated over and over.”

It was a valuable opportunity for students to acknowledge how marginalization of the past was addressed through music and gain a deeper appreciation for the social changes that they are currently living through. It gave them the chance to wonder and anticipate how people of the future will look back at this point in history to acknowledge the growth and empowerment that may have been inspired by present-day musical pioneers.