Bernice Johnson Reagon

Bernice Johnson Reagon, a towering figure in American music and activism, founded the seminal a cappella ensemble Sweet Honey in the Rock. Her early career was deeply intertwined with the Civil Rights Movement, where she co-founded the Freedom Singers, lending her powerful voice to rallies and protests. Beyond her musical contributions, Reagon served as a curator at the Smithsonian's National... more Museum of American History, illuminating African American culture. Her work, celebrated in the PBS documentary "The Songs Are Free," consistently blends profound musical artistry with incisive social and political commentary, cementing her legacy as a vital cultural historian and performer. less