Ep 7 | Music: The Soul of Peaceful Activism & Justice: Part 1 (USA)

In this episode, Janis Siegel and Yusuf Gandhi explore the powerful role of music as a force for social change, tracing a lineage of musical activism from early voices like Billie Holiday and Woody Guthrie to the rise of politically charged folk, soul, and hip-hop. Through iconic songs and personal reflections, the hosts examine how artists have challenged injustice, amplified marginalized voices, and shaped cultural movements across generations. Part 1 sets the stage for a journey through music that doesn’t just entertain—but provokes, resists, and inspires.Music in this podcast:Billie Holiday - Strange FruitWoody Guthrie - Tear the Fascists DownThe Weavers - If I had a HammerJoan Baez - Oh, FreedomMahalia Jackson - We Shall OvercomeBob Dylan - Blowin’ In the WindNina Simone - Mississippi GoddamMarvin Gaye - What’s Going OnGil Scott-Heron - The Revolution will not be TelevisedGrandmaster Flash - The MessageJesse Welles - Join IceEp 7 | Unify Playlist (additional songs)Phil Ochs - I Ain’t Marching AnymoreWoody Guthrie - I Ain’t Got No Home/ Old Man TrumpGil Scott-Heron - We Almost Lost Detroit (No Nukes Concert Live)Linton Kwesi Johnson - Making HistoryBoogie Dowh Productions (feat. KRS1) - You Must LearnPublic Enemy - Fight the PowerBDP/Stop The Violence Movement - Self-DestructionBaby Cham feat. Alicia Keys - Ghetto StoryBruce Springsteen - Streets of Minneapolis (Live)Herbie Hancock’s The Imagine Project- Imagine This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit musictheunifyingforce.substack.com