The Civil Rights Movement is one of the most pivotal moments in the United States’ history. It was the moment when African American people, along with some supportive whites, decided that segregation was immoral and it was time to make a change. These people were usually met with hate and violence from the police, and many were arrested in the process. However, one thing they felt could never be taken from them, was their songs.
This film depicts many Civil Rights leaders including John Lewis and Martin Luther King, Jr. It also includes recounts from sit-in protestors and bus boycotters who tell stories of their experiences during the Civil Rights movement. John Lewis says in the film, “It was the music that created a sense of solidarity.” In the times of great unrest, the African American people were able to turn to their music as way source of strength to continue in their fight. One of the reverends in the film talks about how “negroes have always used music as a way of communication” even as far back as slavery, which we learned about those songs in one of our modules. “Wade in the Water” by Ramsey Lewis is sang multiple times in this documentary. It tells them that even if the waters are troubled, wade in what is right not what is easy. The song has quick piano playing, trumpets and drums. It is a song that is natural to clap along to and easy for large groups to sing, making it a wonderful protest song.
Alabama and Mississippi were important states during the Civil Rights movement. Montgomery, Alabama was where the bus boycotts and sit-ins began that inspired people in other cities to do the same. The Freedom Riders rode from Alabama to Mississippi in order to prove that whites and blacks could be together in harmony. They were met with violence and many of them were arrested. However, people continued to join them anyway. During this part of the film Joss White sang the song “Paul and Silas Bound in Jail.” This song is a blues song originally written by Josh White that is basically an anthem for holding on and remembering the main goal/prize. The cello, piano, guitar and soft drums join a powerful bluesy voice to create a powerful performance.
According to Chuck Neblett, many of the songs they sang during this time were negro spirituals that they revisited. They were powerful and spiritual songs of protest. They gave the people a sense of comfort. They would also create their own lyrics based on what was going on. For example, the song about Governor Wallace of Alabama that is sang by Lynda Lowery that talks about needing to remove him. The theme song of the movement was “We Shall Overcome,” which came from an old black hymn with a simple three chord structure. I think this is a great example of how music culture changed. This song was written as a church hymn that was probably about individual overcoming obstacles. When the world began to change, the impact of the song changed and it became an anthem for an entire race of people to overcome.
Birmingham was one of the most violent and vital city in the south during the Civil Rights movement. Leaders believed it was important to go there to fight their evil with peace. It was here when they struggled to find participants. However, it was school kids that were glad and passionate about the protests that revitalized it and led to Birmingham outlawing segregation. This led to the incredible force that was the March on Washington to change the nation. It was there where Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his legendary “I Have a Dream” speech.
It was the music that kept them going during that long 50 mile march from Montgomery to Selma, Alabama. They sang and sang the whole way there which gave them strength. I personally believe that the Civil Rights Movement would not have been what it was without the music. The music was necessary to comfort and inspire the people to keep going when it was difficult, and it was mostly difficult.
Source (film):
Soundtrack for a Revolution: Freedom Songs from the Civil Rights era. Directed by Bill Guttentag and Dan Sturman. Freedom Song Productions, 2009.
Lily's Music Blog 