Words + Images

A friend of mine teaching a course on race, class and privilege asked if she could use some of my writings on the subject.  Most of what I have written simply recounts my experiences as a brown woman abroad or of my family members in the American south.  In one of the essays, I reference Sam Cooke’s song, A Change is Gonna Come.  My family has long played this tune.  It is a beautiful piece.  Until today though I did not know its history:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Change_Is_Gonna_Come_%28song%29

I don’t know if my friend will use song in her course, but she has certainly reminded me of the influence and power of song, for creating change and for simply helping people endure.  Another song I shared with her is Billie Holiday’s rendition of Strange Fruit:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strange_fruit

Moving me right now are songs without words by Ralph Vaughn Williams:

Five Variants of Dives and Lazarus

Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis

If you don’t know these songs, they are well worth a listen!