On this Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service, we turn to several women whose voices powered the Civil Rights Movement: Mable Hillery, Bessie Jones, Mamie Brown, and Bernice Johnson Reagon. The innumerable contributions by these individuals both on and off the stage became beacons that guided the movement forward.
We encourage you to experience the music of freedom fighters the world over published by The Orchard distributed partner, Smithsonian Folkways, and learn more about the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Mable Hillery
“Marching on the Mississippi Line”
Mable Hillery was an American solo recording artist and a member of the Georgia Sea Island Singers. Her song “Marching on the Mississippi Line” is featured on the live album The Complete Friends of Old Time Music Concert: Bessie Jones, John Davis, and the Georgia Sea Island Singers with Mississippi Fred McDowell and Ed Young. She was known for finishing her performances with a “shout.” Outside of music, Hillery also worked as a consultant for CUNY (City University of New York) to aid teachers in preserving Black culture in education and beyond.
Bessie Jones
“Give Me the Gourd to Drink Water”
Bessie Jones was an American gospel and folk artist and a member of the Georgia Sea Island Singers. “Give Me the Gourd to Drink Water” is a collaborative track performed by Bessie and the Georgia Sea Island Singers featured on the Lest We Forget, Vol. 3: Sing For Freedom compilation album.
At an early age, Jones learned that music was as important as storytelling when it comes to history and identity. She moved many times across the country until choosing to settle with her husband, George, on St. Simons Island in 1933. After his passing, she felt a “call to teach” and began to feel more guided by the “spirit” to share the stories and songs of Black American history.
Mamie Brown
“I’m On My Way”
Mamie Brown was known for being one of Birmingham’s civil rights heroes. She led the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights Choir, which was pivotal in mass meetings and marches in Birmingham. Her track “I’m On My Way” is featured on Lest We Forget, Vol. 2: Birmingham, Alabama, 1963 – Mass Meeting. Brown was among the first in Birmingham to be jailed for protesting segregationist law, and she remained devoted to the preservation of the civil rights movement’s music and history.
Bernice Johnson Reagon
“Been in the Storm So Long”
Bernice Johnson Reagon was a civil rights song leader, composer, professor, curator, and activist. In 1965, she recorded her first solo album Folk Songs: The South. Reagon stated that she used music “as a basic foundation for my search for truth.” Additionally, her song “Been in the Storm So Long” is featured on the Voices of the Civil Rights Movement: Black American Freedom Songs 1960-1966 compilation album. Alongside Cordell Reagon, Rutha Harris, and Charles Neblett, she founded the first group of freedom singers to travel nationally, the SNCC (Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee).
Additional Resources
King Center – Atlanta GA
https://events.com/r/en_US/event/beloved-community-service-project-atlanta-january-951648
Brooklyn Conservatory of Music – NY
MLK Day of Service with the Student Conservation Association – Washington DC
https://thesca.org/newsroom/mlk-day-of-serviceBest
UNCF – Washington DC
https://uncf.org/events/uncf-42nd-annual-martin-luther-king-jr-birthday-celebration-washington-d-c
Kingdom Day Parade – Los Angeles
Links To Find Volunteer Opportunities
https://www.volunteermatch.org
https://americorps.gov/serve/volunteer/mlk-day
