The origins and legacy of the folk song 'We Shall Overcome' are complex and varied, which makes the study and teaching of this 'great American song' a difficult task. Bobetsky has collected eight essays (by librarians, teachers, and professors) that consider the creation of the famous tune and lyrics; touch on the larger context of music and civil rights; explain the fluid process of American folk practice; describe how the symposium on which this book is based came about; grapple with the choral and popular inheritances of the song; and provide clear lesson plans on how to deliver this information to a middle school classroom. Given the multiple aims of the book, it is impressive how well it succeeds. Directed mostly at music educators, the book is packed with history, analysis, and practical advice. In the end, this concise book illustrates the importance of culture, religion, labor, and interracial activism in civil rights America through case studies of a magnificent and ever-changing song. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates, teachers, and general readers.

Choice Reviews

For choral conductors directing an arrangement of the song, We ShallOvercome provides, in a single volume, background information sure to enhance one’s lesson plan or performance…. For music historians, this collection collates many of the conventional narratives of the song’s history and provides an interesting look at how music educators are using the freedom song repertoire. Overall, We Shall Overcome is a useful tool for music educators, a window into current pedagogical practice for the use of freedom songs, and a welcome topic of research in an underrepresented area of music scholarship.

Notes: Quarterly Journal of the Music Library Association

Victor V. Bobetsky has presented us with a valuable resource to be used not just in the music appreciation or general music classroom but in any class that seeks to provide a deeper understanding of the African-American civil rights movement and the song central to its conflict that has been used ‘to inspire people around the world who struggle for peace and justice.’…. [The] book is a valuable resource for teachers in performance, music appreciation, or general music classrooms. The volume’s many references and citations lead in a variety of directions that could provide a primary or secondary educator with substantial material to enrich their students’ education.

Music Educators Journal