Media We Shall Overcome
How a song helped steel the courage of Black Americans as they struggled to surmount the barriers to civil rights.
Featured Resources: Celebrating Black History
Black History
Black history is American history. And our history is reflected back to us through our artists and the art they create.
← Back to Digital Resources Library
Our featured resources focus on:
Black history through the arts
Black history is American history. And our history is reflected back to us through our artists and the art they create. The arts raise awareness, uplift spirits, challenge systems, and effect change.
With our interactive, Drop Me Off in Harlem, meet the artists, writers, dancers, musicians, activists, philosophers, and patrons of the Harlem Renaissance between the years of 1917 and 1935. Take your learning about one such artist further with our resource focusing on Duke Ellington through his groundbreaking symphonic jazz composition, "Harlem."
The significance of the Civil Rights Movement permeated and transformed the arts and culture of the 1960s. Learn the story behind the song that became synonymous with the struggle, “We Shall Overcome.” Experience the gravity of a barrier-breaking musical performance in Marian Anderson: Of Thee We Sing. Discover how expressions of support and solidarity were hidden in plain sight in Civil Rights on the B-Side. And uncover the bravery of young Ruby Bridges, an icon of the stand against segregation in Norman Rockwell + The Problem We All Live With.
The legacy of Harriet Tubman lives on in the contemporary struggle for freedom, equality, and justice. Explore the injustices she battled against and her remarkable accomplishments with a collection of classroom lessons for grades 3-5: Harriet Tubman: Secret Messages Through Song, Harriet Tubman: Retelling History Through Dance & Drama, Harriet Tubman: An Informative and Impressionistic Look, and Harriet Tubman: Illustrating History. And find them all collected in this thematic unit.
Music is a living and evolving art form, weaving a tapestry of important moments as well as broad eras of history. Trace today’s popular music back to its foundation with our audio series, Blues Journey. Learn how a celebrated 1930s jazz singer helped express the horror of violence against Black Americans in Billie Holiday + Strange Fruit. Experience the perspective of Black pioneers in the American West of the 19th century through song with a performance and lecture, Allan Harris: Cross That River. The legendary jazz pianist and historian Dr. Billy Taylor takes you on an intimate tour of historic Black neighborhoods in Washington, DC, and New York City in Jazz in DC and The Billy Taylor Trio: Jazz on 52nd Street.
Alvin Ailey is one of the most important artists in dance. Alvin Ailey + Revelations explores the choreographer’s most enduring work that captures and expresses heritage and culture through dance. Learn more about Ailey’s impact on the world of modern dance with Judith Jamison on the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Then, sit down with contemporary dance visionaries with Meet the Masters: Bill T. Jones and Meet the Masters: Carmen de Lavallade.
Perhaps no playwright captured and expressed the experiences of 20th century Black America better than August Wilson with his 10-play Century Cycle collection. Theatre Conversations: August Wilson is an in-depth discussion with the artist on his life, his influences, and his approach to working with others to bring his work to the stage. Exploring August Wilson’s 20th Century furthers the conversation, featuring a panel of contemporary theater artists. And go deeper with August Wilson + Fences, a look at the playwright’s most celebrated play.
Go behind the scenes with Unpacking the Tracks, a trio of informative video explorations in which Questlove takes us into the studio for a unique analysis of the music of R&B artist Marvin Gaye’s 1971 chart-topping album, What’s Going On. Trace hip hop back to its roots and see the path its evolution and revolution has taken with our thematic collection focused on Hip Hop Culture. And finally, join the conversations with contemporary Black hip hop artists in Kendrick Lamar: Q&A at 草莓视频免费版app and Common: Q&A at 草莓视频免费版app.
Explore our robust collection of lessons, media, and articles, organized by grade and subject.
We would love to hear your feedback on this collection, as well as your ideas for future collections. And if you have ideas about curating a collection of Kennedy Center Education resources, let us know! We’d love to share your expertise with our educator community.
Featured Resources: Black History
Media Marian Anderson: Of Thee We Sing
The road to racial equality was a long one and the battle for equality had many heroes; some of them made history just by opening their mouths to sing.
Media Civil Rights on the B-Side
On the flip side of many 45 RPM records made by African Americans in the '40s, '50s and '60s, there are Civil Rights songs that no one has ever heard.
Media Norman Rockwell + The Problem We All Live With
In 鈥淭he Problem We All Live With,鈥 artist Norman Rockwell took a stand against racism. Learn why a controversial painting became a symbol of the American civil rights movement.
Lesson Harriet Tubman: Secret Messages Through Song
In this 3-5 lesson, students are introduced to African American spirituals and their use of a secret language to share information. Students will listen to and analyze spirituals, then write an original spiritual to share a secret message.
Lesson Harriet Tubman: Retelling History Through Dance & Drama
In this 3-5 lesson, students will observe a dance performance to understand the emotional struggles Tubman faced as she helped enslaved people escape and travel north along the Underground Railroad. Students will create an original dance or drama production to the song, 鈥淗arriet Tubman.鈥
Lesson Harriet Tubman: An Informative and Impressionistic Look
In this 3-5 lesson, students will conduct research on Harriet Tubman and explore impressionistic artwork depicting her life. Students will create original impressionistic artwork.
Lesson Harriet Tubman: Illustrating History
In this 3-5 lesson, students will explore Jacob Lawrence鈥檚 artistic collage technique from 鈥淭he Migration Series.鈥 Students will create original Lawrence-style collage artwork about the 鈥渃onductor鈥 of the Underground Railroad, Harriet Tubman.聽
Media Drop Me Off In Harlem
In this interactive microsite, meet the artists, writers, dancers, musicians, activists, philosophers, and patrons of the Harlem Renaissance between the years of 1917 and 1935. Explore how this period in our country's cultural evolution was documented through art, literature, journalism, theater, and film.
Media Blues Journey
The roots of blues can be found in slave songs, spirituals, and field hollers of the American South; its sound can be heard in early rock 鈥檔鈥 roll, and in today鈥檚 alternative and Hip Hop landscapes. Journey with us to learn about the influences and impact the blues has had on musical cultures.
Media Billie Holiday + Strange Fruit
Billie Holiday had a hit record with the song 鈥淪trange Fruit鈥 in the 1930s, bringing light to the horror of lynching in the American South.
Allan Harris: Cross That River
Go on a musical journey with Allan Harris and the Cross That River Band as they go back in time and explore America's West during the 19th century.
Media Duke Ellington + Harlem
Duke Ellington enjoyed tremendous success as a jazz musician and bandleader during the Harlem Renaissance. But Ellington saw that jazz could be more and push beyond a single category鈥.鈥 鈥婬鈥媔s 1950 symphonic composition,聽Harlem, demonstrated unprecedented storytelling through the jazz idiom.
Media Jazz in DC
From Fairmont Street to U Street, from the Howard Theater to the Bohemian Caverns, take a tour through jazz history with Billy Taylor and Frank Wess, who lead listeners through their hometown鈥檚 music scene in this seven-part audio series.
The Billy Taylor Trio: Jazz on 52nd Street (Lecture / Performance)
Join legendary jazz pianist, composer and educator Dr. Billy Taylor and his trio as he walks you through the musical world of Jazz on 52nd Street.
Digital Stage Video Collection Celebrating Black History Month
草莓视频免费版app uplifts the artistry, processes, and achievements of Black creators through dance, film, music, and conversation. Explore this collection of videos curated by The Black Light Employee Resource Group at the Kennedy Center.
Media Alvin Ailey + Revelations
Find out how Alvin Ailey explored themes of African American heritage and culture through dance.
Judith Jamison on The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
Judith Jamison, artistic director of The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, discusses her pride in the name and mission of the company, why modern dance is important, the legacy of Alvin Ailey, and how dance is a condition of being human.
Meet the Masters: Bill T. Jones
From the archives of Kennedy Center Education, a conversation and performance with dance Artistic Director Bill T. Jones. (Recorded as part of the "Explore the Arts" series in 2011 at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts).
Meet the Masters: Carmen de Lavallade
From the archives of Kennedy Center Education, a conversation with legendary dancer Carmen de Lavallade. (Recorded as part of the "Explore the Arts" series in 2014 at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts).
Theatre Conversations: August Wilson
In this intimate conversation, August Wilson discusses his life, his influences, and his approach to working with others to bring his work to the stage
Exploring August Wilson's 20th Century
As part of 草莓视频免费版app's 2008 August Wilson's 20th Century festival, this discussion examines the value and impact of the work of playwright August Wilson.
Media August Wilson + Fences
A look at innovative African American playwright, August Wilson, his cycle of 10 plays, and his critically-acclaimed family drama, Fences.
Collection Hip Hop Culture
Hip hop embraces these artistic elements, most definitely. But it also has blended and transcended them to become a means for seeing, celebrating, experiencing, understanding, confronting, and commenting on life and the world. Hip hop, in other words, is a way of living鈥攁 culture.
Media Unpacking the Tracks
You鈥檙e in the studio and at the mixing console with Motown historian Harry Weinger and Questlove of The Roots as they unpack classic tracks including Marvin Gaye鈥檚 1971 chart-topper 鈥淲hat鈥檚 Going On鈥 and The Supremes' 1966 hit 鈥淵ou Can't Hurry Love.鈥
Kendrick Lamar: Q&A at 草莓视频免费版app
Before his sold-out performance of To Pimp a Butterfly with the National Symphony Orchestra, Hip Hop artist Kendrick Lamar answers questions from young D.C. artists.
Common: Q&A at 草莓视频免费版app
From the Kennedy Center Education archives: Actor and Hip Hop artist Common answers questions from young D.C. artists.
Kennedy Center Education Digital Learning
Eric Friedman
Director, Digital Learning
Kenny Neal
Manager, Digital Education Resources
Tiffany A. Bryant
Manager, Operations and Audience Engagement
JoDee Scissors
Content Specialist, Digital Learning
Connect with us!
Generous support for educational programs at the Kennedy Center is provided by the U.S. Department of Education.
Gifts and grants to educational programs at the Kennedy Center are provided by The Paul M. Angell Family Foundation; Bank of America; Capital One; The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation; Carnegie Corporation of New York; The Ednah Root Foundation; Harman Family Foundation; William R. Kenan, Jr. Charitable Trust; the Kimsey Endowment; The Kiplinger Foundation; Laird Norton Family Foundation; Lois and Richard England Family Foundation; Dr. Gary Mather and Ms. Christina Co Mather; The Markow Totevy Foundation; Dr. Gerald and Paula McNichols Foundation; The Morningstar Foundation; Myra and Leura Younker Endowment Fund; The Irene Pollin Audience Development and Community Engagement Initiatives;
Prince Charitable Trusts; Dr. Deborah Rose and Dr. Jan A. J. Stolwijk; Rosemary Kennedy Education Fund; The Embassy of the United Arab Emirates; The Victory Foundation; The Volgenau Foundation; Volkswagen Group of America; Jackie Washington; GRoW @ Annenberg and Gregory Annenberg Weingarten and Family; Wells Fargo; and generous contributors to the Abe Fortas Memorial Fund and by a major gift to the fund from the late Carolyn E. Agger, widow of Abe Fortas. Additional support is provided by the National Committee for the Performing Arts..
The content of these programs may have been developed under a grant from the U.S. Department of Education but does not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S. Department of Education. You should not assume endorsement by the federal government.