Music from the Civil Rights Movement

The Blind Boys of Alabama perform “Free at Last” at the White House Celebration of Music from the Civil Rights Movement

Gospel Music star Yolanda Adams performs the Sam Cooke classic, “A Change is Gonna Come”

Joan Baez sings “We Shall Overcome”

The Freedom Singers perform “(Ain’t Gonna let Nobody) Turn me Around”

Natalie Cole performs Marvin Gaye’s classic from the civil rights era, “What’s Going On”

Bob Dylan performs his classic song “The Times they are a Changing”

Yolanda Adams performs “How Great Thou Art”

Smokey Robinson and Jennifer Hudson perform “People Get Ready”

More videos from the concert here

paving the way

King said in an interview that this photograph was taken as he tried to explain to his daughter Yolanda why she could not go to Funtown, a whites-only amusement park in Atlanta. King claims to have been tongue-tied when speaking to her. “One of the most painful experiences I have ever faced was to see her tears when I told her Funtown was closed to colored children, for I realized the first dark cloud of inferiority had floated into her little mental sky.” Time Magazine