Songs of the Civil Rights Movement: the Case of "We Shall Overcome"

“We Shall Overcome” is one of the key anthems of the African American fight for civil rights in the 1960s. The African American response to white supremacy and violence was largely framed within a context of peaceful resistance through protests, sit-ins, marches. It is during these events that freedom songs such as “We Shall Overcome”, were widely popularized. Many have argued that “We Shall Overcome” became the unofficial anthem of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960. It represented the unity of the group, hope and strength, all values which were key to the movement. My thesis analyzes the history and background of “We Shall Overcome”, and also it investigates the influence and the power the song had for the Civil Rights Movement. In order to do so, I reference mainly Bobetsky’s “We Shall Overcome: essays on a great American song” (2015) and performances by important singers: Joan Baez, Pete Seeger and Mahaila Jackson. In the first chapter, I focus on the history of “We Shall Overcome” starting in the 18th century, and up to the 20th century. I review the genealogical tree of the song, which highlights differences from and similarities with tunes which inspired it. I then analyze the lyrics of the song, showing furthermore its importance for the Civil Rights Movement, because of its message of resilience and strength. Finally, I discuss one of the major and more impactful events in which the song has been played in: The March of Washington, which was one of the biggest protests ever organized in the United States up to that moment. Protesters were demanding for freedom and equality. The analysis of the origins of “We Shall Overcome” explores the tune’s roots in both Black and White culture. The second chapter studies in depth the Black culture, referring primarily to Gospel music and the White culture, which is represented by folk music. It examines the characteristics of these genres of music and how both interpreted “We Shall Overcome”. To conclude, I review two versions of the song: Mahalia Jackson’s performance, representing gospel music, and Pete Seeger’s live show, which is the folk version of the song.