Singing has long been a form of protest or resistance.
Yankee Doodle is widely considered as one of the first protest songs in what would eventually become the United States. And enslaved people in the South used song, often disguised as work songs or spirituals, to protest their enslavement.
During the 1960’s and ‘70’s there was another wave of protest songs over the Vietnam War and government response to antiwar demonstrations.
In recent decades protesting systemic racism and economic inequality has been a common thread in many contemporary American rap, rock and pop songs. Following the murder of George Floyd, and recently the killings of Renee Goode and Alex Pretti at the hands of ICE Agents, another wave of protest music has emerged.
Today we discuss singing as protest with:
Pamela Means, singer-songwriter, jazz musician, activist and educator
Gabriella Simpkins, Cape-based singer-songwriter, composer, multi-instrumentalist
Rev. Karen-Nell Smith, retired Reverand with the United Church of Christ who is organizing “Singing Resistance” events
Peter Clark, member of the Falmouth Freedom Singers
Roger McDonald, Member of the Falmouth Freedom Singers
