Political activism among African American musicians and composers during the Harlem Renaissance (ca. 1920-1935) and the Civil Rights era (ca.1954-1968) has been well documented, and is a prominent feature in the narrative of the history of jazz in America as it relates to race and American society. Another important era of political activism among African American musicians – specifically jazz musicians – that doesn’t receive the kind of attention afforded those mentioned above is the period between them, after the end of the Harlem Renaissance and before the McCarthy era and the peak of the House Un-American Activities Committee in 1949.

During this time, many prominent jazz musicians were known to support politically progressive members of the African American community, like Benjamin Davis, the NY City Councilman from Harlem who replaced Adam Clayton Powell Jr. and ran on the Communist Party ticket. Artists like Duke Ellington, Coleman Hawkins and other significant jazz artists performed for benefits for Councilman Davis. This paper uncovers just how politically active many jazz artists were in a time before socialism and communism became considered the ‘Red Scare.’ Other artists of primary interest are Hazel Scott, Billie Holliday and Mary Lou Williams who, among many others, performed in environments that were often sympathetic to leftist, anti-capitalist thinking.

More than just a socio-political survey, this paper addresses how the aesthetic approaches of these artists may have encouraged their understanding of and alignment with socially progressive thinking and political activity.