Skip to main content

Voices of the Civil Rights Movement: Black American Freedom Songs 1960-1966

Various Artists
Voices of the Civil Rights Movement: Black American Freedom Songs 1960-1966 This double-CD reissue documents a central aspect of the cultural environment of the Civil Rights Movement, acknowledging songs as the language that focused people's energy. These 43 tracks are a series of musical images, of a people in conversation about their determination to be free. Many of the songs were recorded live in mass meetings held in churches, where people from different life experiences, predominantly black, with a few white supporters, came together in a common struggle. These freedom songs draw from spirituals, gospel, rhythm and blues, football chants, blues and calypso forms. The enclosed booklet written by Bernice Johnson Reagon provides rare historic photographs along with the powerful story of African American musical culture and its role in the Civil Rights Movement. "The music of the spirit with the history of the flesh." — New York Daily News

RELATED LESSON PLANS
"South Africa, Free At Last: The Freedom Songs of South Africa and the Civil Rights Movement in America"
"Singing for Justice: Following the Musical Journey of “This Little Light of Mine"

RELATED VIDEOS
We Are Soldiers in the Army

Track Listing

icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
101
Freedom Medley: Freedom Chant / Oh Freedom / This Little Light of Mine The Freedom Singers 01:57  
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
102
This Little Light of Mine Betty Fikes 04:17
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
103
If You Miss Me from the Back of the Bus Betty Fikes 03:03
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
104
Lord Hold My Hand While I Run This Race n/a 02:49
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
105
Get on Board Children Willie Peacock 02:10
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
106
Calypso Freedom Willie Peacock 06:29
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
107
Freedom Now Chant n/a 00:25
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
108
Oh Freedom Hollis Watkins 03:08
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
109
Ain't Scared of Nobody Amanda Bowens Perdew and Virginia Davis 01:50
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
110
Leaning on the Everlasting Arms n/a 01:13
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
111
Sermon Lawrence Campbell 06:35
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
112
We are Soldiers in the Army n/a 03:24
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
113
Go Tell it on the Mountain Fannie Lou Hamer 03:03
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
114
Wade in the Water Fannie Lou Hamer 02:32
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
115
Come Bah Ya (Kumbaya) Willie Peacock 05:25
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
116
Walk with Me Lord Fannie Lou Hamer 01:38
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
117
Jesus on the Mainline Sam Block 03:33
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
118
Freedom Train Sam Block 04:36
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
119
Don't You Think It's About Time That We All Be Free Mabel Hillary 03:30
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
120
We're Marching on to Freedom Land Carlton Reese 02:31
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
121
We Shall Overcome n/a 03:03
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
201
We Will Never Turn Back The Freedom Singers 03:30  
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
202
We Shall Not Be Moved The Freedom Singers 02:11  
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
203
Certainly, Lord The CORE Freedom Singers 02:05
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
204
Get Your Rights, Jack The CORE Freedom Singers 03:49
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
205
Which Side are You On? The Freedom Singers 01:57
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
206
Woke Up This Morning with My Mind on Freedom The Freedom Singers 02:31  
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
207
Been in the Storm So Long Bernice Johnson Reagon 03:54
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
208
Dogs The Freedom Singers 02:33  
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
209
The A&P Song The Integration Grooves 02:28
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
210
Oh Prichett, Oh Kelly The Freedom Singers 02:15
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
211
I Told Jesus Bertha Gober 03:21
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
212
99 1/2 Won't Do The Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights. Choir 02:28
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
213
I'm on My Way The Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights. Choir 03:38
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
214
City Called Heaven Cleo Kennedy 09:15
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
215
In the Mississippi River The Freedom Singers 03:38
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
216
I Ain't Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me 'Round The Freedom Singers 02:15  
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
217
Will the Circle Be Unbroken Jimmy Collier and the Movement Singers 03:08
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
218
Governor Wallace The Freedom Singers 02:36
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
219
Ballad of Medgar Evers The Freedom Singers 04:32  
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
220
Uncle Tom's Prayer Cordell Reagon 01:09
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
221
Oginga Odinga The Freedom Singers 02:50  
icon-circle-play svg-new-pause-button
222
We Shall Overcome The Freedom Singers 03:20