This report is part of WTOP’s coverage of Black History Month. Read more stories on WTOP.com.
During turbulent times throughout history, African Americans have lifted their voices through the power of song.
Dave Dickinson, who has been an R&B music and program director in the D.C. area for close to 30 years, said African Americans “send messages through our music. We send hope through our music.”
One of the many artists who did it well was D.C. native Marvin Gaye in the title track of his 1971 album, “What’s Going On.”
The album is an eerie reminder that many of the issues Gaye soulfully crooned about 50 years ago still exist in 2022, including poverty, police brutality and racism.
Dickinson also mentioned the Temptation’s 1970 hit “Ball of Confusion (That’s What the World Is Today)” as yet another song that captures the mood of yesterday and today.
He said sometimes there are messages that appeared to be hidden in songs like Earth, Wind and Fire’s remake of a folk song written by Pete Seeger in 1955, “Where Have All The Flowers Gone,” and recorded on the group’s 1972 album “Last Days and Times.”
He said many people don’t know that the song is an anti-war song, protesting the Vietnam War.
The anti-war sentiment is much louder and the message more precise in Edwin Starr’s “War,” released in 1970.
From the Isley Brothers’ 1975 “Fight the Power,” to Public Enemy’s 1989 “Fight the Power,” Dickinson said “we work out to certain music, we love to certain music, we protest to certain music.”
Dickinson is responsible for helping many young artists climb the ladder of success, including Grammy Award winning artist Ledisi, three-time Grammy winner Maxwell, and Grammy and Emmy nominated singer/actress Andra Day. He is currently a program director for Sirius XM,
