Sixty years ago, at the Lincoln Memorial, Martin Luther King changed America. But there was more to the day than just his ‘I have a dream’ speech. There was music too
, an early leader of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and a key organizer of the March, recalled a day now remembered almost exclusively for the soaring words of King’s “I have a dream” speech but also a peak moment for the collaborative power of music and politics.and Bob Dylan traveled to Greenwood, Mississippi, to perform at a voter registration rally.
Seeger had performed the most important musical pollination of all, when in 1957 King visited the Highlander Folk School in Tennessee, a training camp for civil rights workers. When Seeger sang We Shall Overcome, it was the first time King heard it. He fell in love with it. In Washington, it was sung by the Freedom Singers, accompanied by Dylan,Cox had spent years registering voters in places where “if we got caught we would be shot. Alabama was the most dangerous.
“I’m not sure how you can really express it. During the most stressful things the music would be the wind beneath your wings. It’s one thing singing We Shall Overcome when the police were out there with tear gas. It’s sung in a way that maintains your determination. The music had advocacy.”wrote all the most important Newsweek stories about civil rights. So he traveled to Washington for the march.
He said: “During the mid day break between the mostly entertainment morning sessions and the afternoon speechifying session, some of the musicians were hanging out in the rotunda of the Lincoln Memorial. I’m standing there and Joan Baez walks up behindand pats him on the butt. ‘Let’s sing, Bobby,’ she said. So the two of them start on a Dylan song. They were joined by Peter and Mary – Paul was elsewhere. They went on for about an hour. Folk songs, freedom songs. Dylan songs.
“He was full of the symbolism of Lincoln and Gandhi, and the cadences of the Bible. He was both militant and sad, and he sent the crowd away feeling that the long journey had been worthwhile.”“For me, listening to Dr King’s speech, with its emotive power, and witnessing the sheer numbers of Black and white people marching together, I was certain I had experienced the most powerful moment of my lifetime – the ‘someday’ from We Shall Overcome was drawing nearer.
Malaysia Latest News, Malaysia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
‘A rededication’: Martin Luther King’s family mark anniversary of March on WashingtonKings will join expected crowd of tens of thousands of people on Saturday to commemorate 60 years since ‘I have a dream’ speech
Read more »
‘That’s our guy’: how UK military chief became key Nato liaison in UkraineAdm Sir Tony Radakin recognised in Washington and Kyiv as an increasingly important actor
Read more »
Russia-Ukraine war live updates: Kyiv’s troops are poised to capture the village of Robotyne in the southern sector of the frontline, a victory that commanders say could unlock Russia’s formidable defences.Ukrainian forces say they have broken through Russia’s strongest line of defence; thousands converge of Washington for anniversary of Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream speech”: no sign inflation will fall quickly, Bank of England says. Follow the latest here.
Read more »
Russia-Ukraine war live updates: Kyiv’s troops are poised to capture the village of Robotyne in the southern sector of the frontline, a victory that commanders say could unlock Russia’s formidable defences.Ukrainian forces say they have broken through Russia’s strongest line of defence; thousands converge of Washington for anniversary of Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream speech”: no sign inflation will fall quickly, Bank of England says. Follow the latest here.
Read more »
Russia-Ukraine war live updates: Kyiv’s troops are poised to capture the village of Robotyne in the southern sector of the frontline, a victory that commanders say could unlock Russia’s formidable defences.Ukrainian forces say they have broken through Russia’s strongest line of defence; thousands converge of Washington for anniversary of Martin Luther King’s “I have a dream speech”: no sign inflation will fall quickly, Bank of England says. Follow the latest here.
Read more »