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“Rock & roll wasn’t just about rebellion—it was about revolution. It was young, it was Black, and it was bold enough to break down barriers.” – Dr. Reiland Rabaka

In this episode of The Cause: Conversations on Music, History, and Democracy, Dr. Reiland Rabaka explores how rock & roll helped shape the Civil Rights Movement and American democracy itself. From its deep roots in gospel and rhythm & blues to its explosive rise in the 1950s and ’60s, rock & roll became more than music—it was a cultural force for integration, resistance, and youth rebellion.

Dr. Rabaka highlights the often-overlooked Black artists who laid the foundation for the genre, including Chuck Berry, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Little Richard, and Fats Domino. These trailblazers challenged segregation not only with their sound, but with their presence—defying racial barriers and inspiring both Black and white audiences in a deeply divided America.

�� Listen now to uncover the untold stories of rock & roll’s revolutionary role in American history.

The Breakdown

• Come on Children, Let's Sing
• I Will Move on up a Little Higher
• How I Got Over
• Trouble of the World
• Just a Little While to Stay Here

• If You Miss Me from Praying Down Here
• If You Miss Me from the Back of the Bus
• This Little Light of Mine
• This Little Light of Freedom
• Woke Up This Morning with My Mind on Jesus
• Woke Up This Morning with My Mind on Freedom
• When I’m in Trouble, Lord, Walk with Me”
• Down in the Jailhouse, Lord, Walk with Me
• If You Want to Get to Heaven, Do What Jesus Says
• If You Want to Get Your Freedom, Register and Vote
• Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me ‘Round
• I’m Gonna Tell God How You Treat Me
• Woke Up This Morning with My Mind Stayed on Freedom
• We shall overcome

• Ben E. King “Stand By Me”
• Tina Turner ��“It's Gonna Work Out Fine”
• Sam Cooke “A Change is Gonna Come”
• Nina Simone “To Be Young, Gifted, and Black”
• Martha Reeves and the Vandellas “Dancing in the Street”
• Aretha Franklin “Respect”
• James Brown “Say It Loud - I'm Black and I'm Proud”
• Marvin Gaye “What’s Goin’ On?”
• Donny Hathaway “Someday We’ll All Be Free”
• Gil Scott-Heron “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised”

• Elmore James, It Hurts Me Too (Timecode 06:15)
  

Learn more in Dr. Rabaka's book:

Civil Rights Music: The Soundtracks of the Civil Rights Movement��
While there have been a number of studies that have explored African American “movement culture” and African American “movement politics,” rarely has the mixture of black music and black politics or, rather, black music an as expression of black movement politics, been explored across several genres of African American “movement music,” and certainly not with a central focus on the major soundtracks of the Civil Rights Movement: gospel, freedom songs, rhythm & blues, and rock & roll.