Remember to be specific and reference elements from both the performance and historical context in your response.

• Historical Insight: From a young age, Jackson actively protested against the very same segratation that he grew up in, "I had anger in me. It came from growing up suppressed in a segregated society. All those childhood years of ‘whites only’ places and kids passing you on the bus, yelling, ‘Ni**er!’ There was nothing I could do about it then. I couldn’t even say some of the things that made me angry—it would have gotten me killed," Jackson explained to Parade Magazine in 2005.

  
  

• Explanation: Samuel L. Jackson downed the infamous red, white, and blue to correct the rowdy black performers' behavior, which contradicted his past actions and personal beliefs. However, he took on this role not because his activist ideals had changed but to represent the old black folks who were more interested in creating “proper” black folks than changing the system. Also, he could have taken on this persona to show the perspective of white America and how they see African Americans throughout history and today. 

  So, too, Samuel L. Jackson possibly took this role to help bring awareness to this decades-long conflict and pass the torch onto the younger generation to continue the fight against injustice against people of color. 

Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl performance, like Scott-Heron's, uses art to deliver powerful social commentary and political messages. Both artists challenge mainstream media norms, emphasizing active participation and celebrating black cultural expression. Lamar's performance disrupted the typical entertainment narrative, encouraging audiences to engage with social issues. Both artists use symbolism and message control to control their message, highlighting the power of art in challenging dominant narratives, inspiring social change, and empowering marginalized communities. Samuel L. Jackson's role as a student activist adds a complex layer to Lamar's performance.

-kim