Preface:

There were two parts to this class: in the first we explored ways in which music has been used for social-emotional healing, building resilience in the face of adversity, and individual and collective well-being. We read on music, the brain, and emotion; and thought about the impact of adversity, and the work of music and creativity as vehicles of restoration and healing. In the second part, we focused on a particular moment in Philadelphia’s music history: Philly Soul and the Philadelphia International Record (PIR) label that created the genre in the 1970s. Philly Soul emerged in conversation with Motown in Detroit and was the brainchild of two young black men: a student from West Philly High School, Kenny Gamble, and the Camden born Leonard Huff. PIR earned many Grammys and put the city on the map both for the music and the message of social justice in its lyrics. We listened to that music, read, and learned about one piece of Philadelphia’s rich black music history from some of those involved in creating the music, a story rarely told or taught in the School District of Philadelphia.