We’re celebrating Black History Month all February long. Each week we’ll be exploring a different chapter in the history of music by Black artists. The 1960s were a time of great turbulence, activism, and change. The Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act were passed, Martin Luther King Jr was assassinated, the Vietnam War continued. Soul music emerged early in the decade. Record labels such as Motown, Atlantic, and Stax Records actively sought and supported Black artists in an otherwise largely segregated music business.

During this period, many forms of soul music embedded with the civil rights movement, as Black musicians aimed to connect their art to the social and political struggles of the era. Soul combined elements of the blues, jazz, and gospel music that came before it. Pioneers of soul include Solomon Burke, Otis Redding, Aretha Franklin, and James Brown.

For today’s 9:30 Coffee Break, what songs of the Civil Rights Movement do you want to hear?

Respond with your song ideas in the comments below.

Have an idea for a Coffee Break topic? Submit your idea for a future theme and browse past Coffee Breaks in our archive.

Songs Played:
James Brown – Say It Loud I’m Black And I’m Proud
The Impressions – We’re A Winner
Nina Simone – To Be Young, Gifted and Black
Sam Cooke – A Change is Going to Come
The Staple Singers – Respect Yourself
Jackie Shane – Any Other Way (Bonus!)