The Civil Rights Movement was a nationwide “Freedom Movement” that started in the late 1950s to gain equal voting rights for African Americans and end segregation laws. At the University of Maryland (UMD), this movement impacted the administration as well as youth culture through various protests, rallies, and other events supporting integration. With notable artists joining students in protest, inspiration for forms of activism was drawn from throughout the country. Focusing on live performances and protests, we explore how the Civil Rights Movement impacted campus through a musical lens, discovering how activism impacted UMD.
UMD Administration and Systemic Inequality
The Civil Rights Movement forced the UMD administration to change policies that had racist discrepancies.
Housing Policies and Issues
To address unequal housing, a fair housing policy was drafted to hopefully change the outcome of housing opportunities in relation to skin color. This draft led to the creation of a Fair Housing Committee and a fair housing rally, which “[protested] the lack of cooperation in the area of civil rights on the part of apartment managers and University Hills.”1 This apartment complex is off the southern part of campus, along Guilford Drive. The publication of the Fair Housing Policy later brought to light the inconsistencies in who was fairly being provided housing.
A statement released by Nathaniel Goldfinger, the director of the Research American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, on May 5, 1967, explores how the construction of residential housing in the broader D.C. area was causing a deep recession.2 This statement was presented before the subcommittee of the Housing and Urban Affairs Senate Banking and Currency Committee, now the United States Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. The committee’s job is to regulate all aspects of banking, housing, and various urban affairs at the federal level. Understanding this highlights how shifts and issues in the housing development can cause economic consequences, and how the federal government was beginning to be aware of systemic issues.
Boris Shishkin was the Director of the Civil Rights Department in Washington, D.C. He received letters presenting a list of policies regarding discrimination in the workplace from Emile J. Bourg Jr., the Trade Union Liaison Officer. The letter to Mr. Shishkin contains 14 complaints regarding racial discrimination.3 Shishkin’s note states the federal government did not condone segregation in public and reiterates the importance of anti-discrimination. Shishkin’s policies were drafted in 1949 and were later published circa 1950–1960 after being revised.4 In the draft, there was an emphasis placed on anti-discrimination, and opportunity for housing to be based on need. Despite Shishkin’s note of anti-discrimination from 1949, the University of Maryland was still battling with housing inequities in 1967, as seen at the Fair Housing Rally. This could signal a lack of attention from policymakers, which allowed Maryland to continue their processes without pressure to integrate campus or make necessary structures fair. The Goldfinger statement highlights the economic instability that was tied to residential housing in the D.C. area, specifically addressing that the construction was causing a deep recession. This indicates the powerful role of housing construction and the weight it had on financial regional health.
UMD Admission Disparities
In 1969, there was a disproportionate number of white students admitted to the university in comparison to Black students.5 Many campus resources were devoted to increasing the Black student population on campus through advertisements, such as those in Afro-American Newspapers, recruiting them to enroll at UMD. Such advertisements were designed to connect Black students to campus and make campus life more enticing.6
In a letter written by Dr. J. Winston Martin (UMD administrator) to Dr. Wilson H. Elkins (UMD President 1954–1978), regarding the University Advertising Policy, Martin inquired about recruiting Black students. Martin informed Elkins about the current white-centered policies in place, and explained where there needed to be exceptions.7 UMD’s goal during the 1960s was to recruit Black students to the university using Afro-American newspapers. This idea, while not thoroughly planned, requested that vigorously recruiting Black students should be a primary concern of Elkins and that the newspapers could be a direct method, as they could reach other communities beyond those already on campus. He also stated how the times they found themselves in were unusual, and therefore so should the actions for recruitment.8
A Baltimore Sun article from 1969 reveals early institutional efforts of the inclusion of Black students on campus and details how UMD was developing new programs for them.9 This article’s publish date in 1969 shows that despite serious efforts and court rulings from years prior that made integration mandatory, UMD took longer to fully integrate campus. Around the time this source was published, admissions were getting stricter, making acceptance into the university a great feat.10 This leaves room to question if stricter admissions were intentional to make it harder for people of a certain socioeconomic standing.11
![Sanoff, “UM Tries to Get Negro Students,” The [Baltimore] Sun, September 15, 1969, SCUA.](https://mappingmusic.umd.edu/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/T3_um-tries-to-get-negro-students-FULL-1024x1024.jpg)
Despite this clear delay of integration, a newspaper clipping from the Associated Press in 1958 includes the UMD President, Elkins, firmly stating that “race, creed, and economic position are not among factors considered in screening prospective students.”12
Berenson and the Campus Coalition Against Racism to Martin, “Anti-Racism Index,” May 26, 1970, SCUA.
Elkins claimed in 1958 that bias was against university policy, however, in reality there was no program in place even by 1969 to create an equal campus. It was not until 1970 that the university began making efforts to relate education to Black students and encouraging interest in their education. In May 1970, Dr. Martin received a letter from the Campus Coalition Against Racism (CCAR) that was a detailed memo of new courses or strategies to implement on campus in order to make education more accessible and inclusive to Black students.13 This letter came from a campus student organization, not from the Division of Student Affairs or another higher structure within the university.
Continued Economic Inequities
The fight to end inequities on campus did not end in the 1960s, in fact it is still a glaring issue today. Reverend Al Sharpton (b. 1954), a prominent Civil Rights Leader, has been a champion for economic disparities among the Black community with a focus on student debt. Just as Black students faced many systemic economic issues in the 60s, Black students are still facing economic injustices in the form of student loans and student debt.14 While debt is not a determiner of injustice, predatory loans are, as they target people in a way that is meant to keep them down and hinder their ability to use education to exit poverty.15 The push to integrate UMD was a massive push for the Civil Rights Movement and closing the financial disparity gap is another obstacle to overcome.
We can also see financial disparities in terms of paying Black musical artists; Black artists also often receive less compensation than non-Black musicians.16 This has serious financial implications for Black artists, as streaming services do not pay fair royalties. While this is categorically an economic issue, it becomes deeper when Black musicians are not compensated for their work: their stories, history, and struggles are devalued. Undervaluing Black musicians only continues to perpetuate systematic inequality and inequity.17
Intersection of Civil Rights Protests and Concerts
Throughout the change happening on campus during the 1960s, there were musical events on and near UMD’s campus that supported the fight for integration. Music in protest is a way of sharing a thought, feeling or action with a group of people who share the same values and thoughts, or central mission. These groups form because as word spreads through popular media like music, people group together based on similar thoughts.18 Those pushing for integration on campus in the 1960s created their own community.19 Music can bring people together to stand against another group and mobilize them to fight against a certain action, ideal, or standard creating change.20 Popular music is a valuable way to share an agenda in a more accessible way to reach a large audience.
Among these musical events was a rally put on by the Fair Housing Committee on May 6, 1967, held at the allegedly-segregated UMD apartment complex, University Hills. The march protested the lack of integration in the University Hills complex, despite the recent efforts of civil rights activist groups and the Fair Housing Committee. This rally also had a Pre-Protest Picket event, where a student musical group performed in front of the Armory on campus accompanied by signs that said “Smokey and the Miracles would not be able to get apartments at the University Hills,” and making the issue “hit home.”21 The musical performance at the rally helped to generate a crowd, allowing the event to make a bigger statement, and also make the event more personal.
Esther Mae “Mother” Scott
Scott was a musician previous to the release of her album in 1971, however, this was the only piece of music that she ever released.
An important figure at the rally was Esther Mae “Mother” Scott, a Black Mississippi blues singer who fought for civil rights activism. A native of Bovina, MS, Scott was one of the last survivors of the Mississippi Delta Blues era, and later relocated to Washington D.C. As common for many blues singers, Scott had minimal formal education and did not know how to read sheet music.22 She was known for her songs “This Little Light of Mine,” and “God Called Adam,” the latter of which she claimed came to her in a dream, the way most of her songs did.23
“Mother” Scott also functioned as a sign for the national Civil Rights Movement. Her age signified wisdom and history, adding weight for the younger college students in attendance at the event.24 Scott also represented the Mississippi Delta blues genre, and the blues genre as a whole. Delta blues, created in the early 20th century by African American laborers, is closely tied to Black American culture and the music was used to voice the struggle of African Americans, fighting oppression and stereotypes.25 This historical context brought additional meaning to the Fair Housing Rally with “Mother” Scott’s presence.
Dick Gregory and Pete Seeger
The Campus Coalition against Racism (CCAR) at UMD was a student and faculty coalition with the goal of furthering integration on and around campus. Many organizations, including the Black Student Union, shared this same goal of advocating for equity. A State Senator at the time, Royal Hart, even offered to meet with the CCAR in February 1970 to discuss integration on campus.26
The relationship between Esther Mae “Mother” Scott, Pete Seeger, and Dick Gregory is reflected in their social activism and fight for Civil Rights. Although Dick Gregory was not a folk singer like Esther Mae “Mother” Scott or Pete Seeger, his prominent role in Civil Rights Activism brought them all together. They are joined to each other in the struggle for equity and inclusion.
Dick Gregory, a “man with a message,” came to campus on March 17, 1970 in collaboration with the CCAR. 27 As an activist for the Civil Rights Movement, Gregory was an author, comedian, lecturer, and actor, who emphasized the importance of integration. In his performance “Social Problems: Social or Anti-Social?” at UMD, Gregory lectured for one hour and ended his time with a Q&A.
Social activist and folk singer, Pete Seeger, performed in Ritchie Coliseum at UMD, February 1970. Prior to his performance at UMD, Seeger was a member of the folk group called the Almanac Singers in 1940. The Almanac Singers performed for gatherings such as picket lines and other venues where their voices could be heard to support social change. 28 After this band, Seeger joined another band called The Weavers. After the Weavers, he eventually pursued a solo career, which is when he recorded the spiritual song, “We Shall Overcome.” It states, “We shall all be free/We shall all be free some day/Oh, deep in my heart/I do believe/We shall overcome some day.”29 This song became an impactful anthem during the Civil Rights Movement. Social activism and the fight for integration were growing on campus, and Seeger’s performance at UMD parallels those movements.
Music in the Civil Rights Movement
In the late 1960s, the Civil Rights Movement moved past the earlier issues of suffrage and integration into fighting systemic inequality. On campus, this shift was reflected in student activism focused on social reform. During this period, music grew along with activism, becoming a reflection and tool for expression, unity, and social change.30 At events such as rallies and concerts, multiple artists used music to support the struggle and fight for equality. Music was not just for the expression of emotion but also inspiration for action and solidarity, which carried messages of hope and resilience.31
Pete Seeger at UMD
Pete Seeger played an important role in supporting Civil Rights Activism on UMD’s campus. His performance on campus early in the Spring 1970 Semester helped foster students’ connection to activism through his music.32
Seeger, in collaboration with The Student Peace Union, produced Songs for Peace, a songbook compiled as a collection of music that had a tone of encouragement in the fight for peace.33 Seeger framed the book’s introduction as a direct call to action, writing that “Be you student or teacher, worker or farmer, young or old, male or female, we hope these sons will cheer your firesides, lighten your marches, and move your friends to action.”34 Through this framing, he demonstrated that songs, such as those within the Songs for Peace songbook or those performed at his 1970 concert at UMD, can carry powerful messages of equity and solidarity while also motivating and inspiring students and other activists to get involved in the movement. Seeger used his songs, music, and concerts to uphold society’s values and highlight the moral struggles within communities. He connected activism to everyday experiences, calling for a shared responsibility to correct social ills.35
This foundation set the stage for Seeger’s performance at UMD, where students directly observed how music could unify the community through collective consciousness and awareness. Seeger understood music to be a long-lasting form of activism, and he had a passion and belief in the power of a song for protest. This aligns with the distinction between “use” and “function,” where Seeger’s intentional motivation and drive (use) resulted in the outcome of strengthening group solidarity (function).36 Music has the ability to evoke powerful feelings and motivate collective action, which makes it such a strategic political implementation for connecting larger groups against external challenges.37 So in this way, music became an essential structure for the social integration of communities.
Seeger’s performance at UMD’s Ritchie Coliseum on the evening of Thursday, February 5, 1970, marked a unifying moment for the campus involvement in the Civil Rights Movement. Seeger’s appearance was not only celebratory but also an act of solidarity amidst the struggles; he brought his voice and music to break down the barriers of inequity.38
The fundamental impact of his performance represented the idea that music can reinforce social values and push people towards justice and the repair of the world. His well-known repertoire, which included the Civil Rights anthem “We Shall Overcome” and his own song “If I Had a Hammer,” inspired students to bridge their own experiences to the struggle for equality.39 Seeger’s music was full of themes and ideas about perseverance and persistence in resisting oppression. Seeger’s concert contract at UMD stated that admittance to the venue must be open to all “regardless of race, color, or creed; that there shall be no segregation […]”40 His contract further stipulated that failure to comply with the non segregation clause of seating in the facility would make the agreement “cancelable without notice” and that he would not be held legally responsible for not performing, directly reflecting the policy changes that UMD activists were fighting and striving to change and achieve.41
Freedom Is a Constant Struggle: Songs of the Freedom Movement
Freedom Is a Constant Struggle: Songs of the Freedom Movement is another collection of songs that is associated with the Civil Rights Movement. Originally published in 1968, the collection of freedom songs characterized the fight for Civil Rights. The book includes well-known anthems, and each chapter of the book is devoted to a particular period of the Civil Rights struggle and the songs that captured significant events or that were sung about the pain of that time. The volume also provides a variety of protest songs, some of which were influenced by traditional African American spirituals. Some of the songs were written to capture significant events of the Civil Rights Movement.42
Examples of songs from the book are “Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Around,” “We Shall Overcome,” and “This Little Light of Mine”.43 Originally titled “Don’t You Let Nobody Turn You Round,” the song, “Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Around,” is based on a nineteenth-century African American spiritual song.44 The adaptation by Reverend Ralph Abernathy in the Freedom Is a Constant Struggle songbook changed the perspective of the song from not letting anyone turn “you” around to not turning “me” around, making the song a more highly personal expression of the repeated message of determination that also connects with individual commitments many sustained during the movement.45
“Ain’t gonna let nobody (Lordy) turn me ’round, turn me ’round, turn me ’round, Ain’t gonna let nobody turn me ’round;
I’m gonna keep on a-walkin’
Keep on a-talkin’,
Marching up to freedom land.”46
The lyrics of the song directly articulate the fight for equality and justice. “Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Around” captures a sense of resolute unity throughout the Civil Rights Movement.
Songs for Change at UMD
The protests, rallies, and performances that helped push integration and create equal opportunities were an important part of UMD’s campus and the nation’s history. Pete Seeger, Dick Gregory, Ella Fitzgerald, Harry Belafonte, and Miriam Makeba all used their music on campus to transcend individuals with their message of hope and inspiration during the Civil Rights Movement. While the campus made great strides during this period, the inequities do not end there. Economic disparities, like student debt or the wealth gap, continue into the present day. We cannot move forward without understanding the past. This is simply a starting point as the fight for equality and inclusion continues.
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