Bernice Johnson Reagon (October 4, 1942 – July 16, 2024) was an American song leader, composer, professor of American history, curator at the Smithsonian, and

social activist Activism consists of efforts to promote, impede, direct or intervene in social, political, economic or environmental reform with the desire to make Social change, changes in society toward a perceived common good. Forms of activism range from ...

. In the early 1960s, she was a founding member of the Freedom Singers, organized by the Student Non-violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) in the

Albany Movement The Albany Movement was a desegregation and voters' rights coalition formed in Albany, Georgia, in November 1961. This movement was founded by local black leaders and ministers, as well as members of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Commi ...

for civil rights in Georgia. In 1973, she founded the all-black female ''

a cappella Music performed a cappella ( , , ; ), less commonly spelled acapella in English, is music performed by a singer or a singing group without instrumental accompaniment. The term ''a cappella'' was originally intended to differentiate between Rena ...

'' ensemble Sweet Honey in the Rock, based in Washington, D.C. She was a member/founder of Sweet Honey In The Rock from 1973 to 2006. Reagon, along with other members of the

SNCC The Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, and later, the Student National Coordinating Committee (SNCC, pronounced ) was the principal channel of student commitment in the United States to the civil rights movement during the 1960s. Emer ...

Freedom Singers, realized the power of collective singing to unify the disparate groups who began to work together in the 1964

Freedom Summer Freedom Summer, also known as Mississippi Freedom Summer (sometimes referred to as the Freedom Summer Project or the Mississippi Summer Project), was a campaign launched by civil rights movement, American civil rights activists in June 1964 to r ...

protests in the South. The Albany Singing Movement became a vital catalyst for change through music in the early 1960s protests of the Civil Rights era. Reagon devoted her life to

social justice Social justice is justice in relation to the distribution of wealth, opportunities, and privileges within a society where individuals' rights are recognized and protected. In Western and Asian cultures, the concept of social justice has of ...

through music via recordings, activism, community singing, and scholarship. She earned her Ph.D. from

Howard University Howard University is a private, historically black, federally chartered research university in Washington, D.C., United States. It is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity" and accredited by the Mid ...

, becoming a cultural historian, centered on the role of music. She was professor emerita in the Department of History at The American University. She had also been a scholar-in-residence at

Stanford Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University, is a private research university in Stanford, California, United States. It was founded in 1885 by railroad magnate Leland Stanford (the eighth governor of and th ...

and received an honorary doctorate of music from

Berklee College of Music Berklee College of Music () is a Private university, private music college in Boston, Boston, Massachusetts. It is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known for the study of jazz and modern Music of the United ...

Early life and education

Bernice Johnson was born in 1942 in Dougherty County, Georgia, United States. She was the daughter of Beatrice Wise Johnson, and Jeese Johnson Sr. a Baptist minister. She was born and raised in southwest Georgia, where church and school were an integrated part of her life, with music heavily intertwined in both of those settings. Reagon was the third oldest kid out of the other 7 siblings, the order of all 8 siblings were: Fannie Johnson, Jordan Johnson, Bernice Johnson Reagon, Mae Frances Johnson, Aaron Johnson, Deloris Johnson, Jesse Johnson Jr, Mamie Johnson. In her family, began school at the age of three when she was asked by her teacher to attend early, and she passed that first year. By the time she was in the 4th, 5th, and 6th grade, she was requested to tutor students in the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, and she said it was because there had only been one teacher. In 1959, she entered Albany State College (since July 1996 called

Albany State University Albany State University is a Public university, public Historically Black College and University, historically black university in Albany, Georgia, United States. In 2017, Darton State College and Albany State University consolidated to become ...

), where she began her study of music. She also became active in the local

NAACP The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is an American civil rights organization formed in 1909 as an interracial endeavor to advance justice for African Americans by a group including W. E. B. Du&nbs ...

chapter and then the

. After being expelled from Albany State because of an arrest as an activist, she briefly attended

Spelman College Spelman College is a Private college, private, Historically black colleges and universities, historically black, Women's colleges in the United States, women's Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Atlanta, Georgia ...

. Later, she returned to Spelman to complete her undergraduate degree in 1970. She received a

Ford Foundation The Ford Foundation is an American private foundation with the stated goal of advancing human welfare. Created in 1936 by Edsel Ford and his father Henry Ford, it was originally funded by a $25,000 (about $550,000 in 2023) gift from Edsel Ford. ...

fellowship to do graduate study at

, where she was awarded the Ph.D. degree in 1975.

Career

Activism

Reagon's first demonstration had been in protest against the arrest of Bertha Gober, and Blanton Hall, organized by SNCC along with the initial arrest of the two individuals, for they planned to be arrested in a discussion during a SNCC meeting. Reagon was an active participant in the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. She was a member of The Freedom Singers, organized by the

Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee The Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, and later, the Student National Coordinating Committee (SNCC, pronounced ) was the principal channel of student commitment in the United States to the civil rights movement during the 1960s. Emer ...

(SNCC), for which she also served as a field secretary. Reagon explains her first encounter with SNCC as a confusion, for she did not understand the name, or its organization, but she claims that she understood that they were for freedom and full-time. The Freedom Singers were organized by Cordell Reagon in 1962. The group was the first of the civil rights singers to travel nationally. The singers realized that singing helped provide an outlet and unifier for protestors struggling with mob behavior and police brutality. Thanks to her roles with SNCC and the Freedom Singers, Reagon became a highly respected song leader during the Civil Rights Movement. Activist James Forman later said: "I remember seeing you lift your beautiful black head, stand squarely on your feet, your lips trembling as the melodious words 'Over my head, I see freedom in the air' came forth with an urgency and a pain that brought out a sense of intense renewal and commitment of liberation. And when the call came to protest the jailings, you were up front. You led the line. Your feet hit the dirty pavement with a sureness of direction. You walked proudly onward singing 'this little light of mine, 'and the people echoed, 'shine, shine, shine.

Academic

In 1974, Reagon was appointed as a cultural historian in music history at the

Smithsonian Institution The Smithsonian Institution ( ), or simply the Smithsonian, is a group of museums, Education center, education and Research institute, research centers, created by the Federal government of the United States, U.S. government "for the increase a ...

, where she directed a program called Black American Culture in 1976, and was later a curator of music history for the

National Museum of American History The National Museum of American History: Kenneth E. Behring Center is a historical museum in Washington, D.C. It collects, preserves, and displays the heritage of the United States in the areas of social, political, cultural, scientific, and m ...

. Ida Jones from the Smithsonian Institution had stated, "Dr. Reagon collected photographs, sheet music, and other primary and secondary sources chronicling the development of African American sacred music tradition from its birth during the period of slavery through the creation of concert spiritual, gospel music, jazz, and the performance of protest song in the century following Emancipation," with relation to Reagon's initial job at the museum. In 1989, she was awarded a

MacArthur Fellowship The MacArthur Fellows Program, also known as the MacArthur Fellowship and colloquially called the "Genius Grant", is a prize awarded annually by the MacArthur Foundation, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation to typically between 20 and ...

which helped her to complete the major project, ''Wade in the Water: African American Sacred Music Traditions'' (1994). After Reagon retired from singing with Sweet Honey in the Rock in 1993, she continued to work at the Smithsonian in African American Songs of Protest as a Curator Emerita. She also held an appointment as Distinguished Professor of history at

American University The American University (AU or American) is a Private university, private University charter#Federal, federally chartered research university in Washington, D.C., United States. Its main campus spans 90-acres (36 ha) on Ward Circle, in the Spri ...

(AU) in Washington DC from 1993 to 2003. Reagon was later named professor emerita of history at AU, and held the title of Curator Emerita at the Smithsonian.

Music

Reagon grew up in a church without a piano, so her early music was ''a cappella'', and her first instruments were her hands and feet, and she explained, "that's the only way I can deal comfortably with creating music." When Reagon spoke about her upbringing in the musical culture, she explained that even her early schooling was heavily involved with music, not just the church. Reagon said that her teacher would lead the students outside to play games that entailed singing with their hands and feet, as well as their voices. There were also competitions among the students, and Reagon won first place as a child when running against the older students reciting

Langston Hughes James Mercer Langston Hughes (February 1, 1901 – May 22, 1967) was an American poet, social activist, novelist, playwright, and columnist from Joplin, Missouri. An early innovator of jazz poetry, Hughes is best known as a leader of the Harl ...

' poem "I've Known Rivers". Reagon was a specialist in

African-American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from any of the Black racial groups of Africa. ...

oral history, performance and protest traditions. She served as music consultant, producer, composer, and performer on several award-winning film projects, notably

PBS The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcaster and non-commercial, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly funded nonprofit organization and the most prominent provider of educat ...

television productions such as '' Eyes on the Prize'' (1987) (in which she also appeared) and

Ken Burns Kenneth Lauren Burns (born July 29, 1953) is an American filmmaker known for his documentary films and television series, many of which chronicle American history and culture. His work is often produced in association with WETA-TV or the Nati ...

' '' The Civil War'' (1990). Reagon was also featured in a film, ''We Shall Overcome'', which was about the song and its placement in the movement, being produced by Ginger Records and made by Henry Hampton, the creator of ''Eyes on The Prize''. She was the conceptual producer and narrator of the

Peabody Award The George Foster Peabody Awards (or simply Peabody Awards or the Peabodys) program, named for the American businessman and philanthropist George Foster Peabody, George Peabody, honor what are described as the most powerful, enlightening, and in ...

-winning radio series, ''Wade in the Water, African American Sacred Music Traditions''. Reagon claimed: "These days, I come as a 'songtalker', one who balances talk and song in the creation of a live performance conversation with those who gather within the sound of my voice." Reagon joined her first and only gospel choir when she was 11 years old, which was organized by her sister at the Mt. Early Baptist Church. She and the choir would listen to the local radio station WGPC to learn black gospel for the choir to recite. As a child, the Five Blind Guys was her favorite quartet. Reagon stated that her role models in terms of music are

Harriet Tubman Harriet Tubman (born Araminta Ross, – March 10, 1913) was an American abolitionist and social activist. After escaping slavery, Tubman made some 13 missions to rescue approximately 70 enslaved people, including her family and friends, us ...

Sojourner Truth Sojourner Truth (; born Isabella Bomefree; November 26, 1883) was an American Abolitionism in the United States, abolitionist and activist for African-American civil rights, women's rights, and Temperance movement, alcohol temperance. Truth was ...

, and Bessie Jones, because they assisted her understanding of traditional singing and the fight for justice. Reagon also saw as important to her work Deacon Reardon, a historian studying African-American sacred worship traditions, and she stated that he impacted both her spiritual and musical development. Reagon's work as a scholar and composer was reflected in her publications on African-American culture and history, including: a collection of essays entitled ''If You Don't Go, Don't Hinder Me: The African American Sacred Song Tradition'' (University of Nebraska Press, 2001); ''We Who Believe In Freedom: Sweet Honey In The Rock: Still on the Journey'' (Anchor Books, 1993); and ''We'll Understand It Better By And By: Pioneering African American Gospel Composers'' (Smithsonian Press, 1992). Reagon recorded several albums on

Folkways Records Folkways Records was a record label founded by Moses Asch that documented folk, world, and children's music. It was acquired by the Smithsonian Institution in 1987 and is now part of Smithsonian Folkways. History The Folkways Records & Service ...

, including ''Folk Songs: The South'', ''Wade in the Water'', and ''Lest We Forget, Vol. 3: Sing for Freedom''. In 1973, Reagon founded a six-member, all-female ''

'' group called Sweet Honey in the Rock. In addition to Reagon, the original 4 women in the group were: Bernice Johnson Reagon, Louise Robinson, Carol Lynn Maillard, Mie Fredericks. The only instrument they used was their voices, along with shekere and tambourine. They have toured internationally, including to Europe, Japan, Mexico, and Australia. The group's fan base is of different ethnic backgrounds, religions, and sexual orientations. Reagon's musical roots came from the rural South Baptist Church. She advocated "music's informational and transformative power to ask" and the strong effects that music has had on the Civil Rights Movement.

Personal life and death

In 1963, Reagon married Cordell Reagon, another member of The Freedom Singers. Before divorcing in 1967, two children were born to this union: a daughter, Toshi, and a son, Kwan. Toshi Reagon is also a singer-songwriter. Kwan Tauna Reagon is a chef. In 2003, upon receiving the prestigious Heinz Award, Reagon spoke in her acceptance speech of the decision she and her long-time partner, Adisa Douglas, made that their "different and related work and struggle would move better were we joined in life partnership--and so it has been--joined and better." The two women remained together as life partners up until Reagon's death in 2024. Reagon died in Washington, D.C. on July 16, 2024, at the age of 81. Her death was confirmed by her daughter, Toshi Reagon, and by Courtland Cox, chairman of the

's Legacy Project.

Honors and awards

*In 1970, a Ford Foundation fellowship at Howard University resulting in a Ph.D in American history in 1975. *In 1989, named a MacArthur Fellow and received their "Genius Grant." *In 1991, the Candace Award from the National Coalition of 100 Black Women. *In 1994, a

for a 26-part NPR documentary called Wade in the Water. *In 1995, a

Charles Frankel Prize The National Humanities Medal is an American award that annually recognizes several individuals, groups, or institutions for work that has "deepened the nation's understanding of the humanities, broadened our citizens' engagement with the humani ...

for her contributions to the public understanding of the

humanities Humanities are academic disciplines that study aspects of human society and culture, including Philosophy, certain fundamental questions asked by humans. During the Renaissance, the term "humanities" referred to the study of classical literature a ...

. The award was presented at the

White House The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest (Washington, D.C.), NW in Washington, D.C., it has served as the residence of every U.S. president ...

by President Bill Clinton. *In 1996, the Isadora Duncan Award for the score of Rock, a ballet directed by Alonzo King. *In 2000, the First National Leeway Laurel Award at the Leeway Foundation in Philadelphia. *In 2003, the 9th Annual

Heinz Award The Heinz Awards are individual achievement honors given annually by the Heinz Foundations, Heinz Family Foundation. The Heinz Awards each year recognize outstanding individuals for their innovative contributions in three areas: the Arts, the Eco ...

in the Arts and Humanities. *In 2006 awarded the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa, by Gallaudet University for her sustained efforts for the inclusion of deaf people. *In 2009, an honorary doctoral degree from the Berklee College of Music.

References

External links

Official website

SNCC Digital Gateway: Bernice Johnson Reagon
Documentary website created by the SNCC Legacy Project and Duke University, telling the story of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee & grassroots organizing from the inside-out
The Heinz Awards, Bernice Johnson Reagon profile
* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Reagon, Bernice Johnson 1942 births 2024 deaths 20th-century African-American academics 20th-century American academics 20th-century American historians 20th-century American singers 20th-century American women singers 21st-century African-American academics 21st-century American academics Activists for African-American civil rights African-American activists African-American historians African-American women singers American folk singers American gospel singers American music historians American University faculty Baptists from Georgia (U.S. state) Black studies scholars Feminist musicians Flying Fish Records artists Howard University alumni MacArthur Fellows National Humanities Medal recipients Singers from Georgia (U.S. state) Spelman College alumni Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee Sweet Honey in the Rock members