Music, particularly jazz and the blues, played a central role in...

Music, particularly jazz and the blues, played a central role in the Harlem Renaissance. Born in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Bessie Smith became one of the most popular African American performers at venues like Harlem's Cotton Club. Her recording of "Down-Hearted Blues," written by Lovie Austin and Alberta Hunter, sold more than 750,000 copies and made Smith a major star of the burgeoning music industry. Its lyrics demonstrate how Smith used music to communicate ideas about relationships, gender, and sexuality.

Gee, but it's hard to love someone, when that someone don't love you,

I'm so disgusted, heartbroken too,

I've got those down-hearted blues.

Once I was crazy about a man, he mistreated me all the time,

The next man I see, he's got to promise to be mine, all mine.

Trouble, trouble, I've had it all my days,

Trouble, trouble, I've had it all my days,

It seems that trouble's going to follow me to my grave.

If I could only find the man, oh, how happy I would be,

To the Good Lord ev'ry night I pray, please send my man back to me

I've almost worried myself to death wond'ring why he went away,

But just wait and see, he's gonna want me back some sweet day.

World in a jug, the stopper's in my hand,

Got the world in a jug, the stopper's in my hand,

Going to hold it, baby, till you come under my command.

Say, I ain't never loved but three men in my life,

No, I ain't never loved but three men in my life,

'Twas my father, my brother, and the man who wrecked my life.

'Cause he mistreated me and he drove me from his door,

Yes, he mistreated me and he drove me from his door

But the Good Book says you'll reap just what you sow.

Oh, it may be a week and it may be a month or two,

Yes, it may be a week and it may be a month or two,

But the day you quit me, honey, it's coming home to you.

Oh, I walked the floor and I wrung my hands and cried,

Yes, I walked the floor and I wrung my hands and cried,

Had the down-hearted blues and couldn't be satisfied.

What is the author(s) agenda here? What bias/prejudice influences their perspective? What evidence from the documents/historical context makes you think so?