A compilation and analysis of the many blues and gospel songs written
about the inspirational president Kennedy's Blues: African American
Blues and Gospel Songs on JFK collects in a single volume the blues and
gospel songs written by African Americans about the presidency of John
F. Kennedy and offers a close analysis of Kennedy's hold upon the
African American imagination. These blues and gospel songs have never
been transcribed and analyzed in a systematic way, so this volume
provides a hitherto untapped source on the perception of one of the most
intriguing American presidents. After eight years of Republican rule the
young Democratic president received a warm welcome from African
Americans. However, with the Cold War military draft and the slow pace
of civil rights measures, inspiration temporarily gave way to
impatience. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Medgar Evers, the March on
Washington, the groundbreaking civil rights bill--all found their way
into blues and gospel songs. The many blues numbers devoted to the
assassination and the president's legacy are evidence of JFK's
near-canonization by African Americans. Blues historian Guido van Rijn
shows that John F. Kennedy became a mythical hero to blues songwriters
despite what was left unaccomplished. Guido van Rijn is teacher of
English at Kennemer Lyceum in Overveen, the Netherlands. His previous
books include The Truman and Eisenhower Blues: African American Blues
and Gospel Songs, 1945-1960.
