In this episode--part 2 of a two-part series on protest and pride--I explore the work of artists such as Nina Simone, Aretha Franklin, the Staple Singers, James Brown, and others, who used music as a means of promoting racial justice and respect, often in response to the trials and triumphs of...

In this episode, I explore the music of the Civil Rights Era, focusing on Bernice Johnson Reagon's work with the Freedom Singers and Sweet Honey in the Rock. I also discuss the contributions of activists known as the Freedom Riders, who sang freedom songs as they endured racism and violence while...