2015 Theses Bachelor's

"Songs are Sneaky Things": Pete Seeger's Music as a Force for Political Change

Pori, Isabella

This thesis uses Pete Seeger's music to examine the major social movements of the 1960s, specifically the civil rights and anti-war movements. Seeger's testimony and conviction by the House Un-American Activities Committee led him to build an audience in alternative ways, and the young people he played for went on to lead and participate in the civil rights movement, where "We Shall Overcome" featured prominently, and the anti-war movement, where Seeger himself shifted his performance style to continue to effectively speak out against the war. The thesis argues that these songs are more than just unifiers, or pieces of art, they are powerful methods of change.