The Role of Music in the Life of Martin Luther King Jr.

Students at Grant Ragan Elementary are learning about the role of music in the life of Martin Luther King Jr. this week. Jessica Wunsch, elementary music teacher at Grant Ragan, has developed lesson plans centering around MLK’s life and how music impacted his search of freedom.

Students listened to several important songs from the time period and discussed the meaning of their lyrics, including We Shall Overcome.

Wunsch says music played a crucial role in all aspects of life.

“Just the use of music and how music helped during the Civil Rights time, with the freedom songs and the peaceful walks, hand-in-hand, singing different songs,” says Wunsch. “Music was a way to communicate and from that, even though it was through hardship and struggle, it evolved into this beautiful style of music. It’s true genius that they could take something so difficult and make so beautiful.”

This unit will provide a direct link to their next unit, focusing on coded songs.