Conversations in Context

Dometi Pongo talks with Secretary of the Smithsonian Institute Lonnie G. Bunch III about Black college students' sit-in protests at a Woolworth lunch counter in Greensboro, NC, in 1960.

Dometi Pongo talks with Lonnie G. Bunch III about the 1917 Silent Parade, one of the first mass civil rights protests in the U.S., the powerful message it sent and the foundation it laid.

What makes music such a powerful tool for sharing stories of struggle and triumph? In the words of Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie G. Bunch III: "It allows you to tap your toes and still be in the fight for social justice." Witness the ways musicians have used their songs to document and teach others about Black culture. From early blues legend Lead Belly to modern hip-hop stars like Kendrick Lamar and Meek Mill, music has long been a loud and effective method of protest and empowerment.

Nearly 60 years after the Freedom Riders protest, Dometi Pongo sits down with historian Lonnie G. Bunch III to discuss the importance of documenting social movements then and now.

History was never meant to be permanent; our understanding of what really happened should evolve over time. By revisiting the joys and struggles experienced by generations past, we can develop a more accurate historical memory. Sharing stories of surviving oppression can provide hope and teach us tools for fighting unjust systems today. By learning about the past, we can gain a deeper knowledge of ourselves and help envision a greater future.