ABSTRACT
The Civil Rights Movement constitutes one of the most important periods in U.S. history. During the 1990s, a revitalized interest led to more courses on the Civil Rights Movement being taught in colleges and universities. Especially on Martin Luther King Jr. Day there has been widespread dissemination of events related to the movement. The struggle of African Americans for civil rights has been a democratic struggle predicated on the belief that equal rights and liberty are for all people. Participants in the movement refused to accept being denied the rights guaranteed to them in the U.S. Constitution. In order for students to see not only the ideologies that informed the movement, but also the varied psychological and emotional elements that inspired the participants to risk their lives, innovative teaching strategies are required. Because music was such a vital part of the movement, it can be merged with the ideological history to provide students with a richer understanding of the period.
