Make Some Noise invites students to hear a tradition of Black protest music in the U.S. and worldwide since 1964. Together we will ponder how Black people have created, performed, disseminated, and activated music for protest, self-making, community-building, cultural critique, venting ,healing, and joy. Our headliners for the semester will include Nina Simone, James Brown, Aretha Franklin, Miriam Makeba, Marvin Gaye, Bob Marle, Fela Kuti, Gil Scott-Heron, KRS-One, Public Enemy, NWA, Lil Kim, Lauryn Hill, Beyonce, Noname, and Kendrick Lamar, among many others. Throughout, we will explore the contents (lyrical, formal, sonic, aesthetic) as well as the contexts (social, historical, political) of everything we watch and hear.