Simone, Nina (Eunice Kathleen Waymon)
1933-2003 · Contribution: 1963-1970
Singer, Pianist & Activist
Classically trained pianist who became one of the civil rights movement's most direct musical voices after a music conservatory's rejection she attributed to racial discrimination; wrote 'Mississippi Goddam' in under an hour following the 1963 Birmingham church bombing
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Quick facts
- Born
- 1933
- Active since
- 1957
- Category
- Arts, Music & Entertainment Tech
- Best known for
- "Mississippi Goddam"Classically trained "High Priestess of Soul"Civil-rights anthems
Impact on the world
Simone made her music a direct instrument of the civil-rights movement, channeling rage and hope into songs that became anthems. She refused to separate art from justice.
An alternative history
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Sources
- Source lookupFind
PBS American Masters (The story behind Mississippi Goddam
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