Louis Armstrong Vs.Prejudice.

The Great Civil rights leaders. Martin Luther King jr. Rosa Parks, Malclom X and Louis Armstrong.
Louis (Pronounced Louie) Armstrong , Satchmo, Ambassador Satch, Satch Armstrong , Dipper mouth... Not a civil rights leader????????
Well, I disagree. He never had to say a word, compose a speech or protest.
Armstrong started busting down the walls of prejudice back in the 1920's with a very clean , very melodic and joyous trumpet and a great big smile . Not to mention his smiling eyes and that gravely voice. What a character and such a powerful musician.
Check out this video, I'm sorry I couldn’t find a shorter version of it, but it's from a movie . I didn’t post it... I want you all to notice how Mr. Armstrong is dressed. They put him in African leopard skin a-la Fred Flintstone, with an African tribal theme. Do you think this is degrading? Whether you do or you don't , listen to the horn, listen how he defies that garb, listen to the dignity and how he just simply rises above it, he shines right through it!!!





It sounded like the man was wearing a tuxedo !!!!! And as you can see from the next video , Mr Armstrong was indeed wearing a tuxedo.
The first black man many people in this country have ever seen in a suit and tie. He blow that horn precisely and blew people's minds and blew down the walls that existed in peoples minds, the barriers of the mind! He was indeed a pre-requisite to the civil rights movement, before Miles Davis , Before John Coltrane before Dizzy and Count Basie, well, contemporary with Count Basie in some respect. He was a Jackie Robinson before there was a Jackie Robinson. .......
A civil rights leader who spoke with notes on a trumpet!
That jungle outfit (and the soap bubbles ?) just didn’t work.



P.S. Gangsta Rap is a government conspiracy to keep the black man down!



But you can't keep a GOOD MAN DOWN!