A Movement’s Soul

By Susan Hurley-Glowa and Cynthia Levinson

Music played a large role in the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s. Spirituals were sung at many movement
events. These songs highlighted the experiences and struggles of Black Americans and often included themes of resistance
and fighting for equality.

[1] Some people describe the civil rights era in the 1950s and 1960s as
“the greatest singing movement in our nation’s history.” The Rev. Dr. Martin
Luther King, Jr. called music “the soul of the movement.”
[2] How did songs come to play such an important role in the civil rights
movement? How did singing together help attain the goals of creating a
society with equal opportunity for all? Put simply, music united citizens from
all walks of life in a new vision for the future.
[3] Integrating1 singing into the cause was a deliberate choice by the
movement’s organizers. It drew upon a rich cultural tradition of
music-making in communities with Black American roots. Singing spirituals
together was a key motivating activity during meetings, church services,
sit-ins, mass demonstrations, freedom rides, and time spent in jail for
participating in these activities. Singing together made people feel strong.
Singing inspired activists to stand up to the verbal and physical assaults, to the police dogs, and to the high-pressure fire hoses
aimed at them to force them to end their efforts to secure racial equality.
[4] Singing spirituals united people and focused them on their goals–freedom and equality.
[5] The movement’s songs were mostly updated traditional Black American spirituals. “We Shall Overcome” is probably its
most famous song. Two gospel songs – “I’ll Overcome Someday” and “If My Jesus Wills” – provided the basis for this
unofficial civil rights anthem2.
[6] The song, changed slightly to “We Will Overcome,” was taught to labor organizers in the 1940s at the Highlander Folk
School3. By 1952, a recording of the song was released, but the words had been altered again to “We Shall Overcome” by folk
singer Pete Seeger.
[7] By the late 1950s, the song was being taught to civil rights activists at the Highlander. That’s where King first heard it.
At the end of meetings, everyone would rise, join hands, and sing the anthem. Its text reaffirmed the movement’s goals: to stand
against all obstacles to freedom and equality, to face opposition with courage and strength, and to live in peace.
[8] We shall overcome, we shall overcome,
We shall overcome someday;
Oh, deep in my heart, I do believe,
We shall overcome someday.
[9] Folk singer Joan Baez sang it to entertain and rouse the crowds at the historic March of Washington for Jobs and
Freedom in August 1963. As the lyrics predicted, Black people and White people joined hands. Today, “We Shall Overcome”
has spread around the world and can be heard wherever freedom and justice are threatened.
[10] Singing played a big part at the March on Washington. Moved by music’s message, this large political rally that took
place at the nation’s capital began with a massive concert. As people gathered on the Mall, Black folk artist Odetta sang, “I’m
on My Way to Freedom Land.” The White folk trio Peter, Paul, and Mary sang Bob Dylan’s Blowin’ in the Wind.” The Albany
Freedom Singers, a Black quartet, performed “We Shall Not be Moved.” Baez and Dylan sang “Keep Your Eyes on the Prize.”
[11] Perhaps most stirringly, the Black opera soprano Marian Anderson sang “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands.”
Twenty-three years earlier, Anderson had been barred4 from appearing at Constitution Hall in Washington, DC, because she was
Black. Then, Mahalia Jackson rose. “The Queen of Gospel” belted out “How I Got Over”:

1
To combine (two or more things) to form or create something
2
Uplifting song identified with a particular group or cause
3
The Highlander Folk School is known today as the Highland Research and Education Center. It is a social justice school that
provides education and training for activist leaders.
4
prevented
[12] How I got over,
How did I make it over,
You know my soul look back and wonder,
How did I make it over?
How I made it over,
Going on over all these years,
You know my soul look back and wonder,
How did I make it over?
[13] “Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho” and “Free at Last” were other popular civil
rights songs. Like “We Shall Overcome,” they inspired listeners to continue with a
difficult struggle.
“Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho '' is a traditional Black American spiritual that tells the
biblical story of a man who brought down the walled city of Jericho despite
overwhelming odds. The song represents the struggle for civil rights: resistance, faith,
and ultimate victory over wrong. “Free at Last” sings of the dream and promise of
freedom, urging everyone to join hands and to not give up hope. King ended his
famous, “I have a Dream” speech at the March on Washington by quoting a line from
this spiritual “Free at last, free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!”
[14] Taking a cue from the strengths of older Black American traditions, music expressed the soul of the civil rights
movement. Songs and singing proved essential nonviolent weapons in the struggle for freedom.
A Movement’s Soul
Text-Dependent Questions

1. Why did organizers of the civil rights movement incorporate music into their efforts?
a. To increase attendance at church services
b. To encourage people to fight for social justice
c. To raise awareness of an important cultural tradition
d. To highlight the physical force used against protestors

2. Which statement best describes the effect music had on the March on Washington?
a. It provided entertainment for those attending the march.
b. It created a sense of unity for everyone attending.
c. It caused the march to be well attended.
d. It added more obstacles to the cause.

3. How does the fact that “We Shall Overcome” was originally a spiritual contribute to its effectiveness in the Civil Rights
Movement?
a. It made it more complex and challenging to sing.
b. It connected the movement to a long tradition of Black resilience.
c. It alienated white supporters who were unfamiliar with spirituals.
d. It emphasized the need for violence to achieve equality.

4. What is the main purpose of paragraphs 5-7?

a. To explain the origins of specific songs used in the Civil Rights movement.
b. To compare the effectiveness of different musical styles in the movement.
c. To analyze the lyrics of “We Shall Overcome” in detail.
d. To show how music evolved throughout the Civil Rights Movement.

5. Why does the author include the lyrics to “We Shall Overcome” in the text?
a. To show the reader how the song had been changed from its original lyrics.
b. To show why Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King, Jr. would use the song in his speech.
c. To help the reader know how many different languages the song has been translated into.
d. To help the reader understand why the song help bring Black and white people together.

6. According to the article, how did music contribute to the success of the civil rights movement?
a. It attracted wealthy donors to the cause.
b. It provided a platform for political speeches.
c. It united people and inspired them to persevere.
d. It served as a mean of communication with the media.

7. Which sentence from the article best supports the idea that singing made people feel strong?
a. “Singing spirituals together was a key motivating activity during meetings…” (paragraph 3)
b. “Folk singer Joan Baez sang it to entertain and rose the crowds…” (paragraph 9)
c. “The White folk trio Peter, Paul, and Mary sang Bob Dylan’s Blowin’ in the Wind.” (paragraph 10)
d. “‘Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho’ is a traditional Black American spiritual…” (paragraph 13)

8. What is the main idea of the text?

a. Songs based in African American history were important to the civil rights movement.
b. Singing is a way to deal with many emotions like love, pain, loss, and heartbreak.
c. Dr. Reverend Martin Luther King sang a song at the March on Washington.
d. Many important singers felt left out of the Civil Rights Movement.

9. As they are used in paragraph 6, “obstacles” and “opposition both mean –

a. Things that are frightening
b. Things that can be useful
c. Things that are large
d. Things that work against something
KEY
1. B
○ Paragraph 3 says, "Singing inspired activists to stand up to the verbal and physical assaults, to the police dogs,
and to the high-pressure fire hoses aimed at them to force them to end their efforts to secure racial equality."
2. A
○ Paragraph 9 says, "As the lyrics predicted, Black people and White people joined hands. Today, 'We Shall
Overcome' has spread around the world and can be heard wherever freedom and justice are threatened."
3. B
4. A
5. D
6. C
7. A
8. A
9. D
10. D