Carnegie Hall

Freedom songs were anthems of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s and a potent catalyst for change. These were songs that were made to be sung together in groups to unify the movement and deliver strong, clear messages of liberation. Musically, they are accessible, direct, and repetitive. They embody a range of emotions—joy, sadness, determination, defiance, hope. Many, including “Oh Freedom,” were originally spirituals, but the lyrics were altered to reflect a renewed purpose.

Imani Uzuri is a vocalist and composer whose role as a cultural worker and activist is central to her work. As such, she has taught and sung freedom songs around the world. She composes music that celebrates her rural North Carolina roots and incorporates influences from her global travels. She is currently at work on a new opera as well as a new musical. She is the founder and artistic director of Revolutionary Choir—an organization that sponsors community singing gatherings formed to teach both new and historical freedom songs around the country.