Political sequins
February 22nd, 2009
What struck me most at the Supremes exhibition at BM&AG today was how much Motown Records was instrumental to the black civil rights movement.
Motown was America’s largest independent record label and the most financially successful black owned business in the country. The marketing of their artists was crucial. It got black people on TV and in the mainstream media and portrayed them as clean cut, wholesome and fresh faced – palatable to white America, during a radical upheaval in race relations.
This grooming was done under the instruction of Ms Maxine Powell head of Artist Development at Motown. Ms Powell taught the Supremes ‘how to glide’. They would take classes in etiquette – how to talk, eat, get out of a car and generally present themselves.
Artist development was a major part of Motown’s operations. The acts on the Motown label were fastidiously groomed, dressed and choreographed for live performances. Motown artists were advised that their breakthrough into the white popular music market made them ambassadors for other African American artists seeking broad market acceptance, and that they should think, act, walk and talk like royalty, so as to alter the less-than-dignified image commonly held by white Americans in that era of black musicians. Given that many of the talented young artists had been raised in housing projects and were short on social and dress skills, this Motown department was not only necessary, it created an elegant style of presentation long associated with the label.
But just as this image was essential in the early days of the civil rights movement by the late 60s early 70s it was deemed to be too syrupy and a poor representation of black people and black music. Hair went natural; lyrics became political – paving the way for Funk and Raw Soul.
This exhibition highlights this important political time. If you thought like me that the Supremes were just about sequins, big hair and showtime soul you should go and check it out. Those sequins were essential to changing attitudes and were instrument to the equality that we witness today.
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