In the Mahalia Jackson chapter, music was relevant. She discussed how during protests they sang spiritual hymns. The freedom songs allowed the civil rights activists to spread their word out in a more memorable way. Freedom songs really did inspire people. When people began to sing spiritual music during boycotts and sit-ins, it shows how deeply rooted freedom songs are. On page 546 of Sernett’s book, Jackson states that King wanted her to sing “I Been ‘Buked and I Been Scorned.” When she sings the song she gets full with joy and happy about how much progress had been made. There is something about slave songs, that are typically religious that goes along with movements. Both deal with struggles and what people need to overcome.

Here is a video of Martin Luther King Jr. and Mahalia Jackson: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odHqG1rA4M8