Matthew Jones (September 17, 1936 – March 30, 2011) was an African-American folk singer/songwriter known for being a

field secretary Field secretary is a position within various civil rights organizations in the United States, such as the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). In the NAACP, it ...

of 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 ...

and part of their

The Freedom Singers The Freedom Singers originated as a quartet formed in 1962 at Albany State College in Albany, Georgia. After folk singer Pete Seeger witnessed the power of their congregational-style of singing, which fused black Baptist ''a cappella'' church sin ...

in the 1960s. Jones was from

Nashville, Tennessee Nashville, often known as Music City, is the capital and List of municipalities in Tennessee, most populous city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County in Middle Tennessee, locat ...

, but also worked as a school teacher in

Macon, Georgia Macon ( ), officially Macon–Bibb County, is a consolidated city-county in Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia, United States. Situated near the Atlantic Seaboard fall line, fall line of the Ocmulgee River, it is southeast of Atlanta and near the ...

. He was arrested 20 times for this civil rights activism.

Civil Rights Movement

Matthew Jones was a schooled, experienced musician, and became active in the Civil Rights Movement when he joined the

Nashville Student Movement The Nashville Student Movement was an organization that challenged legalized racial segregation in Nashville, Tennessee, during the Civil Rights Movement. It was created during workshops in nonviolence taught by James Lawson at the Clark Memo ...

in 1960. Jones was an outspoken participant in the movement in

Danville, Virginia Danville is an independent city (United States), independent city in the Virginia, Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. The city is located in the Southside (Virginia), Southside Virginia region and on the fall line of the Dan River ( ...

, where he organized another vocal group, the Danville Freedom Voices, in 1963. Jones relocated to

Atlanta, Georgia Atlanta ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state), most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the county seat, seat of Fulton County, Georg ...

, with his brother Marshall, who was also affiliated with 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 ...

and their music ensemble, the Freedom Singers. Matthew Jones faced down the

Ku Klux Klan The Ku Klux Klan (), commonly shortened to KKK or Klan, is an American Protestant-led Christian terrorism, Christian extremist, white supremacist, Right-wing terrorism, far-right hate group. It was founded in 1865 during Reconstruction era, ...

on many occasions and endured 29 arrests during the Civil Rights Movement. His experiences developed him into a "

freedom singer The Freedom Singers originated as a quartet formed in 1962 at Albany State College in Albany, Georgia. After folk singer Pete Seeger witnessed the power of their congregational-style of singing, which fused black Baptist ''a cappella'' church sing ...

" in the most literal manner. "I don't think of myself as a cultural worker," Jones said. "I am a freedom singer; a freedom fighter. I've always been a freedom fighter; I'll probably go down that way, too. Freedom songs are different than other protest songs because they are really a

mantra A mantra ( ; Pali: ''mantra'') or mantram (Devanagari: मन्त्रम्) is a sacred utterance, a numinous sound, a syllable, word or phonemes, or group of words (most often in an Indo-Iranian language like Sanskrit or Avestan) belie ...

. The use of repetition allows for the message to be understood. If we sing a powerful statement enough times in a song, like 'This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine,' then we can internalize it".

Later life

Matthew Jones performed his repertoire around the world, including alongside terrorists in

Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ; ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, part of the United Kingdom in the north-east of the island of Ireland. It has been #Descriptions, variously described as a country, province or region. Northern Ireland shares Repub ...

. During the

Anti-Vietnam War Opposition to United States involvement in the Vietnam War began in 1965 with demonstrations against the escalating role of the United States in the Vietnam War, United States in the war. Over the next several years, these demonstrations grew ...

movement he recorded a 45-rpm record, "Hell No, We Ain't Gonna Go" backed on the other side with "Super Sam." At each performance, Jones included "The Freedom Chant," an affirmation he based on a famous quote by

Fannie Lou Hamer Fannie Lou Hamer (; Townsend; October 6, 1917 – March 14, 1977) was an American voting and women's rights activist, community organizer, and leader of the civil rights movement. She was the vice-chair of the Freedom Democratic Party, ...

and his own many years of direct action. "I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired. I will not allow anybody at any time to violate my mind or my body in any shape, form or fashion. If they do, they'll have to deal with ME immediately! Freedom! Freedom! Freedom!" After nearly a year of deteriorating health, Jones died in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

on March 30, 2011.

Matt Jones recording

''Matt Jones Then and Now'', Relevant Records *SIDE A # Freedom Road # Uncle Tom's Prayer # Freedom Medley # Medgar Evers # Legend of Danville # Demonstrating G.I. # Avon Rollins * SIDE B # Oginga Odinga # Brother That Ain't Good # It's Like A Wheel # Nuclear Reactor # Tree of Life

References

External links

SNCC Digital Gateway: Matt Jones
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 American folk singers American activists 1936 births 2011 deaths African-American activists Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee 21st-century African-American people {{US-activist-stub