Before beginning the activities, ask your students “what defines protest?” List all of the student’s ideas and comments. Next, ask them how those ideas can be invoked through music. How can music define the ideas and emotions of political and social unrest and protest? Ask students to consider the impact of 20^th century technology on protest. The Suffrage and Abolition movements, unlike the Civil Rights movement and the Vietnam War protests did not have a soundtrack sold in record stores or heard on the radio—music that came to epitomize a decade or era. 

Ask students to consider: How might 75 years of peaceful activism that characterized the Suffrage Movement influenced future protest movements?

It is recommended that you listen to the selected songs as a class if possible. Discuss with your students that these songs are only representative of the protest songs of each era. As they listen, ask the students to write down what they think is the key message or idea of each song. Compare ideas and impressions as a class.

Ask: Which songs had an emotional impact? Why? Are there common messages or ideas?

• Suffrage Movement: "The March of Women"
  • "The March of Women" was an English suffrage anthem written in 1910 and quickly embraced by American suffragists. Note: Unlike popular spirituals from the 19^th and songs of the Civil War, very few Suffrage songs were recorded or revived. This is 21^st century video presents a well- known anthem.
• Civil War/Abolition: "Follow the Drinking Gourd" sung by Richie Havens
  • "Follow the Drinking Gourd" is reported to have been used as part of the Underground Railroad to help provide directions on escape. In the 19^th century, anti-slavery songs were also published by a growing number of Anti-Slavery societies.
• Civil Rights: "A Change is Gonna Come" by Sam Cooke
  • Written by Sam Cooke in 1964, after he and his band were turned away from a “whites only” hotel, this song quickly became one of the anthems of the Civil Rights Movement. 
• Vietnam: "I Ain’t No Fortunate Son" by Creedence Clearwater Revival
  • Written by John Fogarty, lead singer of Creedence Clearwater Revival, the song reflects Fogarty’s feeling after being drafted into the Army in the Vietnam era where exemptions for sons of wealthy or politically connected men were common.

Activity Two:  Defining Protest Music

Divide Students into Groups of Four. Each group will assign one team member to research and provide feedback on:

• Music of the Suffrage Movement
• Music of the Abolition Movement
• Music of the Civil Rights Movement
• Music of the Vietnam War era

Allow several days for students to do the research before the class discussion. Students should use the Brief Overview of Protest Music and the "Further Reading" section to research their time period and are encouraged to expand their research. Each student must provide a minimum of two examples of protest music from the era assigned to them. 

• Students researching the Suffrage and Abolition movements should include at least two examples of sheet music, from the suggested resoureces, which provide a visual link to 19^th and early 20^th century perspectives. 

Two graphic organizers are provided to help students break down and analyze the songs they have selected:

Analyzing Protest Music graphic organizer can be used by students as they select and review the music from the era assigned to them.

Unpacking the Box: Commonalities of Protest should be used by each group as they compare and contrast the music from each period.

Encourage the groups to be creative in their read out. They might consider a short video, a power point show or a blog to provide their ideas and assessment and to engage their classmates in the protest music they have researched.

1. Are the songs successful mechanisms of protest? They should compare with the class definition of successful protest.
2. As a group, they should discuss which songs they believe demonstrate music as a successful and unsuccessful protest mechanism and explain why.
3. What are the commonalities of protest over two centuries that these songs reveal? How do songs impact individuals and society on an emotional and intellectual level?
4. Last, discuss differences in interpretation between each group. What are possible reasons? Discuss the fact that music, intellectual, and emotional connections are subjective. How can that impact protest?

Conclusion

Ask the students to create an Exit Ticket. They will answer the question Does music have the power to influence societal attitudes and promote change?

In answering the question, students will assess the societal impact and legacy of music as protest and use example(s) from the era they were assigned.