Like the persistent and perpetual dawning of a new day imbued with all its luster and glory-leaving behind its past yet strengthened with yesterday's triumphs-awakens to tomorrow's day with refreshed energy and endless possibilities that bring new or enhanced meaning and significance to past, present, and future life, so too does musical creativity and consequent styles emboldened by African Americans purposefully embody the American spirit, leaving behind its past to awaken to tomorrow's day with yesterday's triumphs, adding renewed liberations and expressive techniques in continuing the pursuit of true and rightful freedom, equality, social justice, and respect.

Music that reflects and initiates change as a call-to-action is central to this unit. The unit will reveal the synergy between society and music through readings, videos, and music on topics of freedom and protest songs, the second evolutionary stage of gospel music, Black music in the media, rhythm, and blues, and its birth of rock & roll, soul music, and finally modern jazz or post-big band swing. Every once in a while, there comes a time when music incontrovertibly reflects and initiates change for the advancement of humanity as well as for music's sake; this, from the 1940s to the 1960s, is one of those times.