More on the Hutchinson family

The Hutchinson family were famous protest singers back in the 1850s through 1900s. The subjects of their songs were of women's rights, abolitionism, and peace spread throughout the Nation. The Hutchinson family played mostly for the main problems like slavery and war at that time.

The Hutchinson family included John, Asa, Jesse, and Judson Hutchinson. Three brothers and one sister. John orchestrated the family and Jesse handled and managed their affairs, along with writing the songs. Some of their music also focused on idealism, social reform, and equal rights. These songs were great for people who believed in a world full of peace. they became so well known that they sang to President John Tyler and other famous people as well.

One little thing about protest songs is that, they started in the 1700s possibly in America.

Ky's Artist Statement

In the Quilt piece that I and my associate constructed, there are four designs on it. A banjo, a head, an acoustic guitar, and an electric guitar. The banjo represents a song created by the Hutchinson's called "When Johnny comes Marching Home". That song is about life with the war and when the soldiers got to come home. The Head is singing "Strange fruit hanging on popular trees", which means the hanging of people in famous places like court houses for instance. And it is a black woman singing it, which tells you also the life of black people also. The acoustic guitar is playing "Masters of War". "Masters of War" is a song about events that took place in past wars and the leaders that were there. The electric guitar is "History hides the lies of our Civil war". That line comes from the song "Civil War" a song that was made by Guns N' Roses. The song is about the wars that did take place years ago and about wars today, which is tearing the peace in the world apart. All these songs play an important part in violence of the past and now. They bring people more into a community and help people realize what they are supporting and not supporting. I hope the New Orleans Art council will understand our piece.

This is a picture of a song book named, The Indomitable put together in the late 19th century including all the popular protest songs. Whether about womans rights, slavery, politics, idealism, or equal rights, were put in there. In my opinion this book was a a symbol of the time period. The things it symbolized were every topic that was sung about throughout the book.


This song is called the fugitive's song. It is about slavery in the south, how it should be abolished. The song as well deals with how hard the slaves need to work, not only to not get whipped, but also to escape for freedom. This song is told from the slaves perspective. this song and many others like it spoke to slaves with out freedom. Finally there is something that really expresses what they also feel. not only slaves felt this way about protest music. many people with problems with the way things were, sang and listened to protest music.

This is a picture of mother (Mary) Jones. She was a children's rights activist. Meaning she did her bast a succeed to get children out of working at sweatshops and factories at very young ages. many people wrote poems and songs about her. although many also wrote poems and songs about her cause. she was a great figur, leader and role model for the late 19th century.

Ilan’s artist statement

Some of the first protest music in the mid 19th century were written about soldiers and their close friends and families who hoped their loved ones would come back alive. One particular song that deals with that topic is, When Johnny C comes Marching Home Again. This song was most popular in the 1850s-1880s. This quilt square sign is the banjo. The next quilt square is represented by a head singing Strange Fruit by Billie Holiday. Written and performed mostly in the 1890s-1900s.This song deals with the time where African Americans were hung on trees. The acoustic guitar represents the 1950s-1960s era of protest music. Masters of War, written by Bob Dylan is about the masters of war, what they have done, what they are and his opinions on them. The last quilt piece is an electric guitar. This represents the song Civil War by Guns and roses. This song deals with the things that came along with the Civil War and how we do not want another. In my opinion this quilt piece comes to show that any one with a strong idea of the way things are and the way things should be can make a protest song. Protest music has always been important. It has and will always be.

Writen by Ilan and Ky
Frank's design team