Keep Your Eye On The Prize
"Keep Your Eyes on the Prize" by Sweet Honey in the Rock is a folk song that was very influential during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960's. The Civil Rights Movement was became a very important time in American history.
Even almost 100 years after the Emancipation Proclamation, African Americans in the United States were still treated unfairly. They did not receive equal rights, they were segregated from everyday things and events, and faced other forms of oppression, including violence all because of the color of their skin. African Americans and civil rights activists used non-violent protests, along with civil disobedience to fight for change and equal rights.
"Keep Your Eyes on the Prize" became a sort of Civil Rights Anthem. The lyrics are adapted from an old gospel song, "Gospel Plow". The lyrics were based off scripture from The Bible. They mention Paul and Silas. The story of Paul and Silas can be found in the book of Acts 16:19-26. They talk about the fight for freedom African Americans went through during the Civil Rights Movement. It explains that even through all of the hardships they were put through, they just had to stand up together and keep fighting. They Talk about being sent to jail, not be able to pay for their bail, but still they keep fighting. The lyrics talk about how the only chain that cannot be broken, is the chain of all of the African American citizens standing together, fighting. These lyrics encompass everything that African Americans were fighting for during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960's. They were frighting for their equal rights and freedom, but it was not an easy battle they had to fight. There were many obstacles they had to overcome and it was songs like this one that pushed them and kept them fighting for their freedom. Like in many cultures, the African Americans used music as a way to fight oppression.
Sweet Honey in the Rock is an all women, African American, a cappella group. They show the history of African American women through their songs, dance, and sign language. Some of their other songs include, "In the Morning When I Rise", "The Women Gather", and "Are My Hands Clean?".
Even almost 100 years after the Emancipation Proclamation, African Americans in the United States were still treated unfairly. They did not receive equal rights, they were segregated from everyday things and events, and faced other forms of oppression, including violence all because of the color of their skin. African Americans and civil rights activists used non-violent protests, along with civil disobedience to fight for change and equal rights.
"Keep Your Eyes on the Prize" became a sort of Civil Rights Anthem. The lyrics are adapted from an old gospel song, "Gospel Plow". The lyrics were based off scripture from The Bible. They mention Paul and Silas. The story of Paul and Silas can be found in the book of Acts 16:19-26. They talk about the fight for freedom African Americans went through during the Civil Rights Movement. It explains that even through all of the hardships they were put through, they just had to stand up together and keep fighting. They Talk about being sent to jail, not be able to pay for their bail, but still they keep fighting. The lyrics talk about how the only chain that cannot be broken, is the chain of all of the African American citizens standing together, fighting. These lyrics encompass everything that African Americans were fighting for during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960's. They were frighting for their equal rights and freedom, but it was not an easy battle they had to fight. There were many obstacles they had to overcome and it was songs like this one that pushed them and kept them fighting for their freedom. Like in many cultures, the African Americans used music as a way to fight oppression.
Sweet Honey in the Rock is an all women, African American, a cappella group. They show the history of African American women through their songs, dance, and sign language. Some of their other songs include, "In the Morning When I Rise", "The Women Gather", and "Are My Hands Clean?".
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/sweet-honey-in-the-rock/about-sweet-honey-in-the-rock/716/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keep_Your_Eyes_on_the_Prize
http://stopwar.org.uk/music/sweet-honey-in-the-rock-keep-your-eyes-on-the-prize
http://www.history.com/topics/black-history/civil-rights-movement
Alyssa Rainey