Known internationally as a social justice activist, scholar and performer, Bernice Johnson Reagon@@http://www.bernicejohnsonreagon.com/@@ will perform tonight in a free event at the Beall Concert Hall. Beginning at 7:30 p.m., she will introduce the audience to one of her acclaimed “songtalk” performances, mixing song with lecture and stories of some of her experiences during the Civil Rights movement.
“Bernice Johnson Reagon is someone who is nationally and internationally known for being a leader — both a political leader and a musical leader,” said Loren Kajikawa,@@http://directory.uoregon.edu/telecom/directory.jsp?p=findpeople%2Ffind_results&m=staff&d=person&b=name&s=Loren+Kajikawa@@ an assistant professor of musicology at the University’s School of Music and Dance and an event organizer.
Reagon began her career as a social justice activist for the Civil Rights Movement when she was a student at Albany State College in her hometown of Albany, Ga. In 1962, she joined the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee Freedom Singers,@@http://www.bernicejohnsonreagon.com/freedomsingers.shtml@@ a group of four students who sang songs about the movement.@@http://www.heinzawards.net/recipients/bernice-johnson-reagon@@ This was only the beginning of her involvement in civil rights and in musical groups centered around those issues.
“She has been a lifelong activist who devoted her life to social justice and made music a part of that process, brought music into that and used music to help facilitate social change,” Kajikawa said.
Following her performances with the Freedom Singers, Reagon founded the Harambee Singers in 1966,@@http://www.bernicejohnsonreagon.com/harambee.shtml@@ and then in 1973 formed yet another group, Sweet Honey in the Rocks.@@http://www.bernicejohnsonreagon.com/shr.shtml@@ Sweet Honey in the Rocks is a critically acclaimed a cappella women’s group devoted to singing songs strong in harmonies and subject matter that focuses on justice and equality.
Drawing from her musical experience as well as personal experience, she created a form of musical expression that she calls “songtalk.” This is a combination of song and lecture that covers a number of topics, ranging from “Songs of Struggle” to “My Life as an Artist.” All songtalk topics feature themes of justice, equality and civil rights.
“She’s one of the few people who captures the connection between political change and the arts and culture … there’s really nobody like her, she’s unparalleled in that sense,” said Daniel HoSang,@@http://directory.uoregon.edu/telecom/directory.jsp?p=findpeople%2Ffind_results&m=staff&d=person&b=name&s=Daniel+HoSang@@ an assistant professor of ethnic studies and political science, and the first person to suggest hosting Reagon on campus. HoSang, who has seen her perform before, describes the songtalk as touching and uplifting.
On top of her achievements as an activist and performer, Reagon has also spent time over her 50-year career collecting research on African-American history for the Smithsonian and acting as music consultant for films such as “We Shall Overcome”@@http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0230967/@@ and “Beloved.”@@http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120603/@@
“On all fronts, in terms of being in the front lines as an activist, working as an artist and musician, and as a historian and scholar, she’s really been one of the leading voices around civil rights and the history of the Civil Rights movement and African-American history,” said Kajikawa.
Today, Reagon is a professor emeritus at American University in Washington, D.C., and curator emeritus at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History.@@http://nmaahc.si.edu/about/sac@@ In the next couple of months, she will travel to other universities across the country, performing similar “songtalk” lectures for students.
“I hope students leave the concert hall feeling inspired and hopeful. She is someone who has an enormous wealth of knowledge,” HoSang said. “I’ve told my students it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”