The Power of Protest Music: Exploring the Role of Songs in Social Change

Abstract

6 | BLACK HISTORY BULLETIN VOL. 84, NO. 1 84 No.1 THE POWER OF PROTEST MUSIC: EXPLORING THE ROLE OF SONGS IN SOCIAL CHANGE By Katie Rydell and Ally Bienvenu As undergraduate students pursuing teaching certification at a liberal arts college, we received pre-service training integrating experiences that extended our understanding of students’ lived realities. In the fall of 2020, we took a course titled “Teaching for Social Justice” that examined how educators can develop learners who critically engage with the world around them. Unpacking the events of the year, many conversations centered around protests. The summer of 2020 was marked by worldwide protests against racism and police brutality, from Minneapolis to Tokyo. The act of protesting has been part of the American experience since the nation’s founding, and throughout history, it has evolved to support different causes. Conducting research, we became fascinated with the role of music in protest, specifically related to movements within the Black community. We identified that exploring songs can provide an accessible lens through which students can learn about protests and the issues they address. Accumulating our findings in this article, we provide an overview of music as a form of protest to illustrate the longevity of this unique tradition. While seeking to create an inclusive space within their high school that welcomed and valued all students, specifically Black students, they understood there would be several roadblocks. One of those roadblocks occurred when they advocated for a Black History Month (BHM) celebration that highlighted the contributions of Blacks to this country and their communities. Their advocacy elicited gazes of disapproval, and attempts to generate momentum for a shared vision for celebrating it were met with an acknowledgement that the school would continue to celebrate BHM following the past status quo—to only emphasize BHM within the context of slavery. These comments, decisions, and reactions made them feel even more isolated. They recognized that this isolation was not only felt in their high school, but also in ways they experienced the world—as a White student union. The initial and frequent inquiry as to why a Black Student Union was necessaryhelped the students realize just how underrepresented they are in the spaces they inhabit, in the media they consume, and in the history they are taught. Nineteenth-Century Protest Music Hope, music, and social change share a deep-rooted connection. This bond played an integral role in American society throughout the nineteenth century in relation to the abolition of enslavement. Enslaved people and abolitionists alike utilized religious songs known as “spirituals” for protest, activism outreach, communal bonding, and personal strength. Among them were noteworthy leaders like the Fisk Jubilee Singers, William Lloyd Garrison, Frederick Douglass, the Hutchinson Family Singers, and Harriet Tubman. BLACK HISTORY BULLETIN VOL. 84, NO. 1 | 7 84 No.1 Historically, spirituals served to inspire determination, resistance, and hope in the face of oppression. Thought to be derived from the combination of European psalmody and African musical elements, spirituals personified centuries of overcoming extreme sorrow and immoral hardships, while also inspiring the listeners to anticipate a better future.1 Through the singing of spirituals, enslaved individuals found strength and inspiration while also relaying a powerful message to hold on to dreams of freedom, for a higher power was in control. For example, the song “Ride On, King Jesus” addressed the mistreatment of individuals by their enslavers. This spiritual informed both singers and listeners that enslavers were no match for the Lord who is merciful. Hopeful songs like this encouraged enslaved people to find strength in their faith. Similarly, spirituals like “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot,” “Deep River,” and “Go Down Moses” actively contributed to the abolitionist movement to purge the United States of enslavement. These songs were integral in the success of the Underground Railroad. Since it was illegal for people who were enslaved to read or write, songs were one of the sole information sharing methods available. Secret codes and hidden messages passed along in spirituals were invaluable for people escaping enslavement as they moved along various Underground Railroad points. These songs communicated messages about how to escape and warned of dangerous obstacles along the route, as well as inspiring them...