Songs of Freedom: From Jim Crow to Civil Rights | 1960-1964
“We as Black people in America take for granted the freedom with which we express ourselves across and via the multitude of available outlets, but that wasn’t always the case. Protest music played an integral part in spreading the message of Freedom Fighters from the Jim Crow Era to the Civil RIghts Era through the following decades to present day, where the struggle continues, still. From spirituals and work songs to protest music anthems all the way to the advent of Hip Hop as the dominant global cultural force, music has helped to spread the message of equality for all and galvanize supporters of every hue, creed and color, not just here but worldwide. Songs of Freedom: The History of Black Protest Music is the story of the music that serves as the soundtrack to this ongoing battle, and the people who courageously crafted and created it, quite often to their own personal and professional peril.” - Alphonse McCullough, TBE Executive Editor/Chief Content Curator, Producer of Songs of Freedom: From Jim Crow to Hip Hop.
CONTENT CATALOG ~ 76 Episodes | 573 Schools
MentorClass: Janis Kearney (Part I)
Author, lecturer, and publisher, Janis Kearney was the daughter of sharecroppers and went on to serve as a diarist to President Bill Clinton. This is (Part I) of the inspiration behind her success.
MentorClass: Betty Hines
“Not everybody shares in your joy and your blessing.” Betty J. Hines is a Strategic Business Consultant whose firm’s primary focus is to work with CEOs and their Executive Management Team. She has served as a corporate executive, entrepreneur, speaker, business mentor & coach, and a certified group facilitator. Many know her as the “Strategic Business Connector.” This is the story behind her achievements.
Ed Bradley: A Newsworthy Legacy
“I always found that the harder I worked, the better my luck was because I was prepared for that.” Ed Bradley was an American journalist. The first black television correspondent to cover the White House, and to anchor his own news broadcast, CBS Sunday Night News with Ed Bradley. As its first black correspondent, he was best known for 26 years of award-winning work on the CBS News television program “60 Minutes.” Bradley's significant contribution to journalism, investigating and presenting thought-provoking subjects made an unforgettable impact in its time.
Sheila Johnson: Turning Passion into Profit
“Don’t ever lose sight of who you are and your own power.” Throughout her career, Sheila Johnson has been uncompromising in her entrepreneurial spirit, always doing things on her own terms. As the first black female billionaire, her philanthropic contributions reflect her passions such as: supporting music and the arts, fighting global poverty and disease, educating black leaders, and other such causes. Her professional and humanitarian efforts have inspired tremendous change for women, especially women of color, marginalized communities, and underserved populations. Johnson is a model of empowerment making her mark on the world.
Billie Holiday: Body & Soul
"I feel like I am playing a horn. I try to improvise... what comes out is what I feel." Billie Holiday’s experience was personified in as unique a fashion as her talent. Holiday was a legendary jazz icon who poured her heart into every performance. She considered her voice a musical instrument used to create art that was deeply inspired by her life.
My Black Experience: Dr. Joseph C. Kennedy
“A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots.”
~ Marcus Garvey.
What was once a school genealogy project turned into an invaluable family archive. An insightful conversation about the Kennedy roots, and the patriarch that inspired our family through his Black Experience.
📖 Dr. Kennedy’s 1994 Memoir “Color in a Cage”👇🏾
https://www.amazon.com/Color-Cage-Joseph-C-Kennedy/dp/096260920X
Thurgood Marshall: Voice of Justice
"None of us got where we are solely by pulling ourselves up by our bootstraps. We got here because somebody – a parent, a teacher, an Ivy League crony or a few nuns – bent down and helped us pick up our boots." Thurgood Marshall, the first African American Supreme Court justice, was a passionate voice and champion of civil rights. In his time he played an instrumental role in promoting racial equality, shaping social policies and upholding laws to protect minorities.
Lupita Nyong'o: A Talented Young Star
Born in Mexico City, raised in Kenya, the first Black African to win an Academy Award for acting, Lupita Nyong'o is an incomparable and distinctive star beaming with light. With stunning grace, beauty, and skill her story is one of inspiration.
