While protesting the difficult conditions of racism and injustice in the United States, people sang freedom songs. They sang together because it connected them to one another and gave them strength to keep on working for the cause. Freedom songs work because they are easy to learn, easy to sing and have clear messages about what the singer and listener are to do.
Songs of Freedom explores the origins, evolution and impact of freedom songs and spirituals in America. The Negro spiritual occupies a distinguished place as the foundational soul of American music, and it’s important to learn them, sing them and share their stories.
Songs of Freedom is narrated by G. Phillip Shoultz, associate conductor and director of learning and engagement for VocalEssence, the award-winning Twin Cities choral ensemble. Known for fostering community and inspiring action among people of all ages and abilities, he is a passionate advocate of expanding boundaries and creating wider access to the choral arts. His work in the community includes hosting the Young People’s Concerts with the Minnesota Orchestra, mentorship at regional and national universities, and impactful work at public schools. Find out more.
‘Songs of Freedom’
“Woke Up This Morning”
Created in 1961 from the old gospel song "I Woke Up This Morning With My Mind Stayed on Jesus," the song was written by the Rev. Robert Wesby of Aurora, Illinois, who sang it in the jail in Hinds County, Mississippi, after his arrest and incarceration during the Freedom Rides.
‘We Shall Overcome’
Thought to have descended from "I'll Overcome Some Day," a hymn by Charles Albert Tindley, the song also often is attributed to the tobacco workers led by Lucille Simmons during the 1945-46 Charleston Cigar Factory strike in South Carolina. It was published in 1947 under the title "We Will Overcome" in an edition of the People's Songs Bulletin and became associated with the civil-rights movement in 1959 as a protest song.
‘Ain't Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me 'Round’
This freedom song is based on the spiritual "Don't You Let Nobody Turn You ‘Round," which became an American civil-rights anthem and whose lyrics were often adapted to situations and locations. It was sung during demonstrations for civil rights, including during the Memphis sanitation strike in 1967.
‘Eyes on the Prize, Hold On’
This folk song became influential during the Civil Rights Movement and is based on the traditional song "Gospel Plow," also known as "Hold On," "Keep Your Hand on the Plow" and various other names.
‘We Shall Not Be Moved’
This African American spiritual, hymn and protest song dates to the early 19th-century American south. The song describes being "like a tree planted by the waters" that "shall not be moved" because of faith in God. It gained popularity as a labor union song and a protest song during the Civil Rights Movement.
“Motherless Child”
Also titled "Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child," this spiritual first came to wide public prominence when it was performed by the Fisk Jubilee Singers in the early 1870s. The piece was commonly heard during the Civil Rights Movement and expresses deep sorrow through its lyrics and music.
‘Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho’
Known by various alternate names, including "Joshua Fought de Battle of Jericho," this spiritual alludes to the biblical story of the Battle of Jericho, in which Joshua led the Israelites against Canaan. It is speculated that the song's words might also be alluding to the singer’s eventual escape from slavery.
‘Wade in the Water’
A spiritual categorized as a Sorrow Song and associated with the songs of the Underground Railroad, the lyrics to the piece were first published in 1901 in the New Jubilee Songs, as Sung by the Fisk Jubilee Singers scorebook, although there have been subsequent publications with variations on the lyrics since.
‘Deep River’
The first print version and mention of this spiritual is found in The Story of the [Fisk] Jubilee Singers: With Their Songs, by J. B. T. Marsh, from 1877. It was then popularized by Henry Burleigh in his 1916 collection Jubilee Songs of the USA. The lyrics in the piece suggest a yearning for escape to freedom through the phrase “I want to cross over into campground.”
‘Every Time I Feel the Spirit’
African American scholar W.E.B. DuBois ascribed three gifts from the African American community. One of those was “the gift of the Spirit.” Having been frequently recorded by contemporary artists and gospel music groups, “Every Time I Feel the Spirit” contains many scripture references and speaks directly to the act of worship and prayer.
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