https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHxKZZPhd7w May 3, 2016 Cold War Jazz Diplomacy in Africa U.S. Air Force Academy instructor Captain Jeffrey Copeland talked about the use of American Jazz musicians as State Department-sponsored “ambassadors” in Africa during the Cold War. He argued that the foreign policy of these tours was to showcase America in a positive light and counteract the negative global press about U.S. racial inequality. Jeffrey Copeland CAPTAIN JEFFREY COPELAND TEACHES A CLASS ON THE USE OF AMERICAN JAZZ MUSICIANS IN AFRICA DURING THE COLD WAR. HE ARGUES THE POLICY WAS TO SHOWCASE AMERICA IN A POSITIVE LIGHT AND COUNTERACT THE NEGATIVE GLOBAL PRESS ABOUT EQUALITY. >> YOU WERE. LET'S GET IT STARTED. STANDBY. >> PLEASE HAVE A SEAT EVERYBODY. WELCOME. A DIFFERENT CLASS, A FUN TOPIC. WHAT WE ARE DOING IS CONTINUING THAT SERIES ON COLD WAR TOPICS. WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT CENTRAL AMERICA, WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT THE WARS. WE ARE TALKING ABOUT CULTURAL COLD WAR. THE WAR OVER CULTURE AND THAT FIGHT FOR INFLUENCE. IN THAT CONTEXT JAZZ COMES TO THE FOREFRONT. WE ARE THINKING ABOUT WHY THAT GUY COMES THROUGH THE CONGO WHEN THEY ARE TRAVELING TO FAR-FLUNG PLACES OF THE WORLD. WHAT ARE THEY DOING? WE WILL IMPACT THAT. I WANT TO START WITH THAT. PLEASE TELL ME RECOGNIZE THAT. YES IT IS LOUIS ARMSTRONG. YOU KNOW WHO IT IS. YOU CAN'T MISS THAT SMILE. HE IS AMERICA'S MOST PROMINENT JAZZ MUSICIAN. HE HAD ALREADY TO LORD -- TOURED.
