The Civil Rights movement in America was sustained by the music that turned its message of freedom into singable protests. These songs were rooted in the black experience and culture, as spirituals and gospel music became the framework for the protest songs of the 1950’s and “60’s. The class “The Soul of Civil Rights” explores the connection between the spiritual expressions of African - American culture and the protest music of the Civil Right era. This exploration will focus on how black music influenced the creation and delivery of many genres of music written and composed during this tumultuous time of American history.
