Black History Month is celebrated every February, to honor the contributions of African-Americans to the history and culture of America. For the commemoration this year, we’ll share music from The Staple Singers, Our Native Daughters, Gil Scott-Heron, Fanny Lou Hamer, Elizabeth Cotten, and many others. Listen as they bend the arc … this week on The Sing Out! Radio Magazine.

LISTEN:

Artist/”Song”/CD/Label

Pete Seeger / “If I Had A Hammer” (excerpt) / Songs of Hope and Struggle / Smithsonian
              Folkways
Elizabeth Cotten / “Washington Blues” / Shake Sugaree / Smithsonian Folkways
The Staple Singers / “Freedom Highway” / Freedom Highway / Epic Legacy
Gordon Lightfoot / “Black Day in July” / Did She Mention My Name? / United Artists
Word Beat-Charles Williams & Tom Teasley / “Wade in the Water” / The Soul Dances / T&T

Gil Scott-Heron / “The Revolution Will Not be Televised” / Pieces of a Man / Flying Dutchman
Bernice Johnson Reagon / “Freedom in the Air” / Give Your Hands to Struggle / Smithsonian Folkways
Tony Joe White / “Willie and Laura Mae Jones” / Black and White / Reprise
Elizabeth Cotten / “Ruben” / Shake Sugaree / Smithsonian Folkways

Our Native Daughters / “Black Myself” / Songs of Our Native Daughters / Smithsonian Folkways
Thomas A. Dorsey w/ The Dixie Hummingbirds / “I’m Waiting for Jesus” / Precious Lord / Columbia
Solomon Linda’s Original Evening Birds / “Mbube” / Mbube Roots / Rounder
Martin Simpson & Dom Flemons / “Stealin’” / Proudly Present A Selection… / Fledg’ling

Fanny Lou Hamer / “Woke Up This Morning” / Songs My Mother Taught Me / Smithsonian Folkways
Earl Robinson / “Black and White” / Classic Folk Music / Smithsonian Folkways
Brownie McGhee / “Black, Brown and White” / The Little Red Book of Protest Songs / Proper
Pete Seeger / “If I Had A Hammer” (excerpt) / Songs of Hope and Struggle / Smithsonian
              Folkways