Podcast Summary
Music and Social Change: Music has been a powerful tool for fostering unity and driving progress through social change movements, such as those led by Dr. Bernice Johnson Reagan and the labor movement's use of radio stations.
Music has been a powerful tool for bringing people together and advocating for social change. Dr. Bernice Johnson Reagan, a prominent figure in African American history, used her voice and her music through the Freedom Singers and later Sweet Honey in the Rock, to fight against racism and inequities for over half a century. In the past, labor movements also utilized music as a means of connection and mobilization. For instance, in 1926, the Chicago Federation of Labor launched the first and only labor-owned radio station, W.C.F.L., which broadcasted music to reach and engage their audience. As we remember Dr. Reagan's legacy and continue to celebrate labor history, let us not forget the transformative power of music in fostering unity and driving progress. For more information on labor history and events, visit LaborHeritage.org.