Grazing for Justice

The man who was an important leader of the anti-apartheid movement and its associated struggles against racism and injustice was nothing more than a pop culture footnote in the west.  Hugh Masekela?  “Oh, yeah!  He had a hit, umm, wait it’s on the tip of my tongue.  Oh yeah, Grazing in The Grass” could be considered a typical response among Baby Boomers.

This in itself could be counted as another injustice Mr. Masekela could have railed against.  No matter.  We’ll remember him now a few days after his passing in South Africa at the age of 78 not only as “the father of South African jazz”, but an artist who strove to teach the rest of humanity lessons of tolerance through his music.

Yes, that Hugh Masekela.

(Thank you for reading.  Rest in Peace, Mr. Masekela.)