By K.D. Norris
President Richard Nixon had his Elvis sighting; George W. Bush had his bond with Bono; Bill Clinton and Barak Obama had a ton of encounters with the politics of rock ’n’ roll music.
The constant is that since the 1960s, the songs and songwriters of rock have been a consistent voice on the political and social scene, and even presidents are not immune to the influence.
So, after opening at Cleveland’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2016, and then spending early this year at the prestigious Newseum in Washington, D.C., the exhibit, “Louder Than Words: Rock, Power & Politics” — which explores the power of rock music to change attitudes about patriotism, peace, equality and freedom — will open at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum next week.
The exhibit will open Tuesday, Nov. 7 and run through Feb. 11, 2018. (It will then travel to the William J. Clinton Presidential Library in 2018, and then the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum in 2020.)
Using video, multimedia, photographs, periodicals and artifacts, “Louder Than Words” showcases the intersection between rock and politics. According to supplied information, the exhibit “explores how artists exercise their First Amendment rights, challenge assumptions and beliefs, stimulate thought and effect change.
“Beyond music’s influence on the civil rights movement, the Vietnam War and gender equality, the exhibit also features other significant moments and figures, such as Bob Dylan, who rallied people against social inequality, the hip-hop music of the 80s that discussed police brutality in poverty stricken neighborhoods, and Pussy Riot, who utilized their music as an outlet for social activism in Russia.”
A supplied description of the exhibit goes on to say: “Whether you identify as red or blue, we all bleed rock and roll. Voicing political beliefs mixes its way into conversation and lyrics all the same. Whether you’re a fan of Jimi Hendrix’s “Star Spangled Banner” reinvention or Bob Dylan’s “The Times They Are A-Changin’ ” insightful ballad, many musical artists have broached the subject of politics or have reacted to the current political and cultural climate through note and song. Inside of a song or performance, artists feel safe expressing their opinions and inviting fans to connect with their message regardless of party affiliation.
“Do those same established boundaries exist today? The stage has recently come under fire for openly expressing political critique, which prompts the question — is free speech still protected inside of a performance or song? Regardless of recent and future criticisms, artists will continue to fold political sentiments into their work, and we will continue to support those rock and rollers, unafraid of controversy, letting their music play louder than words.”
The original exhibit included exclusive video interviews with Bono, David Byrne, Dee Snider, Tom Morello, Lars Ulrich, Gloria Estefan, Gregg Allman, Jimmy Carter and others to examine how music has both shaped and reflected our culture norms on eight political topics: civil rights, LGBT issues, feminism, war and peace, censorship, political campaigns, political causes and international politics.
Artifacts in the original exhibit include Joe Strummer’s Fender Telecaster, correspondence between the FBI and Priority Records regarding N.W.A’s “F*** the Police” song, original handwritten lyrics from Neil Young’s “Ohio” and artifacts related to the Vietnam war and the May 4, 1970 shooting at Kent State.
As part of the exhibition run, the Ford Museum will also present several special events:
A lecture, “The Meaning of the Vietnam War”, will be presented by Fredrik Logevall on Nov. 9 at 7 p.m. at the museum. Logevall is the winner the 2013 Pulitzer Prize for his book, “Embers of War: The Fall of an Empire and the Making of America’s Vietnam.”
In his lecture, he will trace the path that led two Western nations to tragically lose their way in the jungles of Southeast Asia. Logevall is the Laurence D. Belfer Professor of International Affairs at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government and an author of numerous books on the Vietnam War.
A discussion, “Arlington and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier”, will be presented by Tom Tudor on Nov. 14 at 7 p.m. at the museum.
Tudor will actually give a two part talk in one event. The first part focuses on Mr. Tudor’s personal connection with the historic cemetery as he recalls his time standing watch over the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The second part gives the history of Arlington National Cemetery and discusses some of America’s finest who are laid to rest within the gates.
(An aside: remember that the museum will present its annual Outdoor Tree Lighting Ceremony on Nov. 16 at 7 p.m. Always a grand kickoff to the holiday season.)
The Vietnam War Lecture Series will also continue on Dec. 6 at 7 p.m. with Dr. Edward J. Marolda presenting “Admirals Under Fire: U.S. Naval Leaders and the Vietnam War”.
Marolda, before his retirement in 2008, served as the Director of Naval History and Senior Historian of the Navy at the Naval Historical Center, Washington, D.C. He has authored and coauthored numerous books with an emphasis on the U.S. Navy in the Vietnam War.
The Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum is located at 303 Pearl St. NW, Grand Rapids. For more information visit fordlibrarymuseum.gov .
For a YouTube video related to the exhibit, visit here.
