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Curtis Mayfield and the History Behind “Move On Up”

There’s a line “do not obey” within the famous song “Move On Up”. What does it mean?

In 1919 organized white mobs committed widespread violence against Chicago’s black neighborhoods killing dozens, known today as “Red Summer” from the level of violence perpetrated by white power groups against black Americans.

This frightful condition continued such that by 1921 all of Tulsa’s black neighborhoods and “Wall Street” were burned to the ground, pushing black families into mass graves, and a KKK convention hall built on top of the ruins…and all of this still is rarely if ever taught in schools.

As might be expected when facing violence, across America gangs formed in the targeted communities to protect selves from these systemic white mobs blocking non-whites from “move on up”. Catholic (Polish, Irish, German, Italian), Chinese, Jewish and black gangs/militias were organized in lieu of police protecting them.

While we know the white and Chinese gangs eventually dissipated as they assimilated into America (even a catholic president was elected) continued oppression of blacks (1950s White House urban renewal was encoded race warfare) meant black protection gangs lingered.

It was in 1970 when one of these Chicago gangs (Blackstone Rangers) tried to pressure Mayfield for money to fund them. He did not obey, as he used his platform to drive instead the “move on up” message. He pushed hope for equality and justice of assimilation that other Americans enjoyed.

The Atlantic has described it as “no other society in human history has imprisoned so many of its own citizens.”