Songs of Social Justice and the Joy of Community

The sounds of “Can’t Turn Me ’Round,” “This Little Light of Mine,” “Calypso Freedom,” and “We Shall Overcome” could be heard echoing through the courtyards and corridors of campus. As the Lower School procession entered the urban courtyard, the Middle School students joined in, and then the whole K-Eight community marched to Schuchart Gym, where Upper School students also joined. Following remarks from Head of School Percy L. Abram, the event concluded with a whole school sing-along of a song of hope, “One Day” by Matisyahu, with the instrumentals and vocals led by Fifth Grade students. 

 

The foundation for the event started with Lower School students learning about songs of protest in their music classes and seeing how those songs have driven change within society. While they surveyed many songs from the 1960s Civil Rights Movement, Matt also taught them many current protest songs, such as “Stand Up” from the Standing Rock movement in 2016. 

 

“Staying connected to now was really important to me, so we avoided the narrative that civil rights music was something to solve problems that no longer exist,” Matt said. 

 

Listening to various protest songs also opened a wide range of discussions among Matt’s Fifth Grade students about the power of music and its role in social movements. In particular, students were moved by Iranian singer-songwriter Shervin Hajipour’s protest song, “Baraye.” Mr. Hajipour took tweets from participants in the recent Iranian women’s protest and assembled them into the song, which became the anthem of the movement. 
 

“Music is a second language; it’s talking so that people will listen,” a Fifth Grade student said. “Music inspires people to fight for what they believe in,” said another, and a third reflected that “music is the one thing that is owned by no one.” 

The day of the march produced some indelible moments, such as when the Lower School students proceeded through a tunnel of Middle School students while singing these songs. With the march starting with the Lower School students, it was also a great reminder that even our youngest students could make an impact in the community and bring it together.

 

“I think these songs were allowing students to experience the emotions of the Civil Rights Movement in a way that merely studying history could not,” Matt said. “I think Dr. King’s dream is not something that can merely be ‘achieved,’ but the dream is really in the work of fighting for a more just world. The march was an awesome display of unity and empowerment, and a commitment from The Bush School community to embrace this work. The students demonstrated the strength of their voices, both individually and collectively, and offered a message of hope that resonated—literally—across the campus. I was proud to be a part of it!"

 

by Colin Murray, Communications Manager