Viewpoint School hosts “The Music of Movements” in Honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Black History Month: A Performance Spanning Generations and Genres
Viewpoint School hosts “The Music of Movements” in Honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Black History Month: A Performance Spanning Generations and Genres
In commemoration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service, Viewpoint School’s Office of Community Life presented “The Music of Movements” on January 22 - three powerful performances that explored the ways that music has shaped social movements throughout history.
“Music has the power to heal our hearts and touch our souls, providing comfort and hope during and in the aftermath of challenges, tragedies, and … change,” said Patricia Jackson, Chief Belonging and Community Officer.
Held in the Paul Family Athletic Center (PFAC), the event featured two student assemblies. Kenyon Ebole-Gordon ‘26 offered an introduction for the Upper School assembly, then Morgan Taylor ‘30 introduced the performance for the Middle School. Each group enjoyed the music of legendary artists like Bob Dylan, Sam Cooke, and Bob Marley. Our guest performers from More than Music, Inc., also included historical context to illustrate how songs have served as tools for activism, unity, and healing.
The programs opened with a moving performance of Bob Marley’s “Redemption Song,” setting the tone for a journey through different genres that have shaped history and inspired change. The musicians introduced freedom songs, congregational hymns that were repurposed during the American Civil Rights Movement to inspire and empower activists, before transitioning into jazz, where they explained the power of improvisation as a metaphor for resilience and adaptability.
The performances also included protest music featuring Bob Dylan’s “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall” and Woody Guthrie’s “This Land Is Your Land,” using each song to highlight themes like irony, resistance, and advocacy. Before each piece, the musicians provided insight into how these songs conveyed messages of social justice, helping the audience understand their significance beyond the music itself.
Following the school assemblies, parents/guardians, and faculty gathered for an evening reception in the Fletcher Family Library (FFL) before attending the final performance. The night provided an opportunity for conversation, reflection, and a shared appreciation for music’s role in shaping history.
Each performance ended with a show stopping rendition of Sam Cooke’s "A Change is Gonna Come" by Biff Gore of NBC’s The Voice.
“Just one day prior, we recognized and commemorated the ninth annual National Day of Racial Healing (NDRH), first observed in 2017 by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation as a call to action for racial healing for all people - the core of racial equality,” said Jackson. “On this day, and always, we reflect on what we can do to better understand each other, free of judgement, while building strong bridges to the future.”