How does McKay think the African Americans should express themselves?

Answer 1

George Frederick McKay (1899-1970) was in favor of the cultivation of a national music culture for the American nation which included a rich mixture of folk tunes, regional flavors and modernistic striving to mention a few possible influences. He was very moved by the musical creativity of the African-American composer William Grant Still, and sponsored a concert and lecture presentation for Still at the University of Washington in 1948. He corresponded with Still over several decades and appreciated him as a sounding board for ideas concerning contemporary American music. In essence this was a friendship and a professional relationship which was quite pleasant and productive in nature, since both composers were enthralled with the expression of themes related to the people and their musical life in the real world of the 2oth century, covering a wide range of cultural backgrounds and origins.