Watch Let Freedom Sing! Music Of The Civil Rights: Let Freedom Sing: How Music Inspired the Civil Rights Movement

Let Freedom Sing! Music Of The Civil Rights is a documentary film that explores the powerful role that music played in the American Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s. Directed by Jon Goodman and produced by Daphne Pinkerson, the film aired on PBS in 2009 and features interviews with musicians who were part of the era and scholars who have written about it.

From gospel to blues to folk, the film shows the breadth of the musical genres used to inspire and mobilize activists in the African American community. The film is anchored by interviews with musicians who were at the forefront of this movement, including The Blind Boys Of Alabama, The Freedom Singers and Richie Havens. These musicians provide personal stories and insights into how their music helped to create a sense of community and mobilize people to take action in the face of injustice.

The film explores how the songs of the civil rights era were rooted in the African American experience and culture, often drawing from spirituals and hymns that had been passed down through generations. The film features several performances of these songs, including renditions of “We Shall Overcome,” “This Little Light of Mine,” and “Ain't Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Around.” These iconic songs have since become symbols of the movement and are still sung today in protests against injustices and inequalities.

Music was a powerful tool used by activists to create a sense of camaraderie and belonging within the movement. The film also delves into how musicians outside of the African American community were inspired to show their solidarity through their music. The folk music scene, for example, was heavily influenced by the civil rights movement, and musicians such as Pete Seeger and Joan Baez used their music to promote social justice.

Throughout the film, there are archival photographs and footage of protests, marches, and other key moments in the civil rights movement. The music is intertwined with these images, often providing an emotional backdrop that helps viewers connect with the struggle for justice and equality.

The film also takes a look at the impact that music had on the movement's leaders. Martin Luther King Jr. was known to have been deeply moved by music, and the documentary shows how he often cited lyrics from spirituals and hymns in his speeches. The film also highlights how the music of the civil rights era inspired other movements for social justice, such as the fight for LGBT rights, feminist and environmental movements in the 1970s and beyond.

Let Freedom Sing! Music Of The Civil Rights is a thought-provoking documentary that uses music as a lens to explore the power of protest and resistance in the civil rights movement. It provides a unique perspective on a pivotal moment in American history, and shows how music can be an important tool for social change. For anyone interested in the history of civil rights, this is an essential viewing experience.

In conclusion, Let Freedom Sing! Music Of The Civil Rights is a moving and insightful documentary that sheds light on the power of music to inspire and mobilize people to fight for justice and equality. The film provides a historical context for the important role that music played in the civil rights movement and shows how it continues to inspire activism and social change today. This is an important film for anyone interested in the intersection of music and social justice movements.