A playlist of politically meaningful songs from throughout the past 70 years

Black Power | The Peace | Black Power | 1975

All Is One | Mighty Sparrow | Calypso A La King | 1970

To The White People Of America | New York Ensemble | Songs of Slavery and Emancipation | 2022

We Will Overcome | “Texas” Bill Strength | 1952

It’s Outrageous | Larry Estridge | Broadside Ballads, Vol. 7 | 1973

Already Guilty | Free Radicals, Swatara Olushola | White Power Outage, Vol. 1 | 2020

Profilin | The Frightners, Preet Patel | Always | 2022

Effects of Slavery | Macka B | Global Messenger | 2000

H2OGate Blues | Gil Scott-Heron, Brian Jackson | Winter In America | 1972

Politicians In My Eyes | Death | …For The Whole World To See | 2009 (1975)

Preacher and the Slave | Socialists | 2012-2019 | 2021

Songs Of Slavery and Emancipation is a multimedia project presenting recently discovered songs composed by enslaved people and explicitly calling for resistance to slavery. The book, CD and documentary film come out Friday June 17, and we hear from Mat Callahan who spearheaded the project. He tells about the origins of these songs, the process of researching them and the significance of publishing them now in some cases for the first time in centuries. 

Recognition March of the Independence of Hayti | Songs of Slavery and Emancipation | 2022

March On | Songs of Slavery and Emancipation | 2022

The Negro’s Complaint | Songs of Slavery and Emancipation | 2022

Nat Turner | Songs of Slavery and Emancipation | 2022

Children, We All Shall Be Free | Songs of Slavery and Emancipation | 2022

Hymn of Freedom | Songs of Slavery and Emancipation | 2022

Uncle Gabriel The Negro General | Songs of Slavery and Emancipation | 2022

Song of the “Aliened American” | Songs of Slavery and Emancipation | 2022

The Band of Thieves | Songs of Slavery and Emancipation | 2022

A playlist of politically meaningful songs performed mostly a cappella by vocal ensembles.

The Workers Song | The Longest Johns, Seth Lakeman | Smoke & Oakum | 2022

The Song of the Lower Classes | Martin Carthy | Out of the Cut | 1982

Poverty Knock | Chumbawamba | English Rebel Songs 1381-1984 | 2003

We Do The Work | John Fromer | We Do The Work | 2000

I’m Gon’ Stand!!! | Sweet Honey In The Rock | Breaths | 1988

Rich Man’s House | Resistance Revival Chorus | This Joy | 2020

Which Side Are You On? | Windborne | Recollections | Revolutions | 2020

Freedom Is A Constant Struggle | Barbara Dane and the Chambers Brothers | Barbara Dane and the Chambers Brothers | 1966

Had, Took, Misled | Bernice Johnson Reagon | Give Your Hands to Struggle | 1975

Digger’s Song | The Horses Of The Gods | We Wish You Health | 2020

Cable Street | The Young’uns | Strangers | 2017