The Freedom Singers

In the early 1960s, folk singing and political activism went hand-in-hand. In the South in particular, participants in the Civil Rights Movement sang spirituals like "We Shall Overcome" and "We Shall Not Be Moved" as they marched in the streets. The Freedom Singers were formed in the midst of civil rights battles in Albany, Georgia in 1962. After being expelled from Albany State College for her civil rights work, Bernice Johnson moved to Saratoga Springs, New York. She worked as a waitress, and took part in a hootenanny at Carnegie Hall sponsored by the folk magazine, Sing Out! While she considered a solo career, Pete Seeger encouraged this "teenage Odetta" to help bring together a group of singers from the ranks of the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). Soon, Johnson had formed a quartet with Rutha Harris, Charles Neblitt, and Cordell Hull Reagon. Together, the Freedom Singers pursued two goals: first, to raise money for the SNCC, and secondly, to help unite other African Americans in the cause of integration. The first version of the Freedom Singers remained together for only a year, but the group's impact was substantial. The quartet was managed by Toshi Seeger, and although their first fundraising event at Chicago's McCormick Place was unsuccessful, joint appearances with Pete Seeger soon gave them a boost. In 1962-63, the Freedom Singers traveled 100,000 miles to sing "freedom songs" at universities, churches, and colleges. Through the group's travels, spirituals like "Woke Up This Morning" and "Fighting for My Rights" -- songs that celebrated the struggles of the Civil Rights Movement -- became better-known. The road they traveled in their old Buick station wagon was a rocky one, but despite arrests and opposition, the quartet persevered. The...