Collection

In every generation, Black rock and roll artists have elevated the conversation about race, equality, justice, and peace. The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s 2020 exhibit “It’s Been Said All Along: Voices of Rage, Hope, & Empowerment” shows how musical artists have channeled the power of rock & roll to respond to racism from the roots of rock to today.

Use this collection to bring the spirit of the exhibit to your students. The collection is bookended with playlists (“Civil Rights Movement” and “Music and Activism in the 21st Century”) that spotlight the sounds these artists used then and now to speak out against racism. In the middle, you’ll find presentations on individual artists from Mahalia Jackson to Tupac, essays on soul legends Aretha Franklin and Sam Cooke, and an activity that digs into the complexities of segregation (“Bluefield Concert Posters”).