Use of Songs at the March

At the march, protesters sang songs of freedom and unity. The interactive visualization above shows the words used in lyrics that were performed at the March on Washington. Mahalia Jackson sang “How I Got Over” and “I’ve Been ‘Buked and I’ve Been Scorned.” Marian Anderson was a classically trained opera singer who chose to preform “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands.” Joan Baez sang “Oh, Freedom” as well as the unofficial anthem of the civil rights movement, “We Shall Overcome.” Bob Dylan joined Baez to preform “When the Ship Comes In,” and then preformed “Only a Pawn in Their Game” solo. Peter, Paul, and Mary were presented as “a group of singers who have come to express in song what this great meeting is all about,” the group sang “Blowin’ in the Wind” and “If I Had a Hammer.” Odetta sang “I’m On My Way.” The Freedom Singers were joined by Baez; Dylan; Peter, Paul and Mary; and Theodore Bikel to perform another rendition of “We Shall Overcome.”[1] Below is a Spotify playlist of renditions of the songs performed at the March on Washington.