James Brown Research Paper

James Brown and the American Dream of the ‘60s The American Dream is defined in the Random House dictionary as “the ideals of freedom, equality, and opportunity traditionally held to be available to every American” (Random House 1). However, most Americans strive towards the American Dream without knowing this definition. That is because you cannot give the American Dream a clear definition, it has an ever changing meaning. The American Dream of today is certainly not the same as what it was fifty years ago. In fact, fifty years ago in the 1960s the American Dream was simply peace, freedom and equality. During this time, the Civil Rights Movement was taking place in which African Americans were fighting for their freedom. There were
In the end, his hard work paid off and was nationally recognized. He won his first Grammy for his breakout song "Papa 's Got A Brand New Bag" for best R&B song (Pareles 3). Then he received a second Grammy for best R&B recording with his song "Living in America" that appeared in the film Rocky IV. Lastly he received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement award (Pareles 4). Brown received numerous other awards and was one of the “very first musicians inducted into the Rock n’ Roll hall of fame” (“James Joe Brown Jr.” 5). Receiving all of this recognition and fame was genuinely remarkable when only ten years ago it was nearly impossible for African American artists to be acknowledged. James Brown knew that he had achieved equality; he points out that, “Others may have followed in my wake, but I was the one who turned racist minstrelsy into black soul-and by doing so, became a cultural force” (qtd in “James Joe Brown Jr.”
In reviewing the American Dream of the 60’s, standout personalities are recognized in the likes of Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr. and of course James Brown. Nevertheless, James Brown epitomized the ‘60s dream of freedom, equality and peace by rising out of poverty, achieving financial success and becoming a role model to both African Americans and whites. James Brown, through his actions and music, inevitably achieved the American Dream of the 1960’s. Brown once said, “As I always said, if people wanted to know who James Brown is, all they have to do is listen to my music.” (qtd in “James Joe Brown Jr.” 6).

Works Cited
"American Dream." Dictionary.com Unabridged. Random House, Inc. 02 Apr. 2013. .
Brokaw, Tom, and John Neary. Life: The ‘60s. Ed. Doris C. O’Neil. Chicago: Bulfinch, 1989. Print.
Brown, James. I Feel Good: A Memoir of a Life of Soul. New York: Penguin Group, 2008. Print.
"James Joe Brown Jr." 2013. The Biography Channel website. Apr 02 2013, 08:53 .
Jon, Pareles. “James Brown, the ‘Godfather of Soul’ Dies at 73.” New York Times [New York] 26 Dec. 2006: n. pag. New York Times. Web. 26 Feb. 2013.
Otfinoski, Steven. African Americans in the Performing Arts. N.p. 2003. Facts on File. Web. 26 Feb. 2013.
Shmoop Editorial Team. "Say It Loud (I 'm Black and I 'm Proud) Meaning" Shmoop.com. Shmoop University, Inc., 11 Nov. 2008. Web. 7 Apr.