Odetta's One Grain of Sand

Odetta Holmes made a significant decision in the history of American music and Civil Rights when she chose to perform politically charged field hollers, prison songs, work songs, and folk tunes in 1950s coffee houses. One Grain of Sand captures the social justice project that was her voice, embodying her approach to the folk repertoire as an archive of black history and a vehicle for radical expression.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 160 pages
Publication date: 04 April 2019
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

When Odetta Holmes, a 20-year-old classically trained vocalist with the potential to become "the next Marian Anderson," made a groundbreaking decision in 1950s coffee houses, she was embarking on a path that would shape the history of American music and Civil Rights. By abandoning opera and musical theater in favor of performing politically charged field hollers, prison songs, work songs, and folk tunes before mixed-race audiences, Holmes was making a statement that reverberated across generations.

Her album, "One Grain of Sand," released the same year as her iconic rendition of "I'm on My Way" at the March on Washington, encapsulates her social justice project and her powerful voice. "There was no way I could say the things I was thinking, but I could sing them," she later remarked.

One Grain of Sand showcases Holmes' approach to the folk repertoire as both an archive of black history and a vehicle for radical expression. In songs like "Moses, Moses," "Ain't No Grave," and "Ramblin' Round Your City," she weaves together historical narratives and social commentary, challenging her audience to confront the realities of racism and oppression.

For many in her audience, particularly those who were unaware of black history or who had been taught sanitized versions of the plantation past, a song like "Cotton Fields" served as a primer. It introduced them to the rich tapestry of black artistry and the struggles endured by African Americans throughout history. Holmes' pride in black artistry, her open rage against injustice, and her unwavering challenge to whites to recognize their own history and complicity modeled the honesty and courage that the Civil Rights Movement sought to embody.

Her music became a rallying cry for the movement, inspiring countless individuals to join the fight for equality and justice. Odetta Holmes' decision to embrace her roots and use her voice to speak out against oppression was a pivotal moment in American history, and her legacy continues to inspire artists and activists today.

Weight: 156g
Dimension: 121 x 164 x 10 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781501333323