She Stood for Freedom

Description

She Stood for Freedom was inspired by everyday people who have employed non-violent means to stand up for equality and the rights of others, those who have the moral strength to step back from their own anger and fear in order to rise up, sit down and hold on for freedom.

Text

She Stood for Freedom

I know a woman.
Her name is Rosa.
She stood for freedom.
She would not move for freedom.

Rosa, why did you stay in that seat,
even when he told you to move?
Did you sit there for humanity?
Did you sit there for our dignity?
Oh Rosa, what I know is, you
refused to move and were arrested for me,
so I could learn how to fight for freedom peacefully.

I know a suffragist.
Her name is Alice.
She stood for freedom.
She picketed the White House for freedom.

Alice, why did you hold your sign high,
even when the crowds beat you down?
Did you march there for humanity?
Did you march there for our dignity?
Oh Alice, what I know is, they
put you in jail where you suffered for me,
so I could learn how to fight for freedom peacefully.

Freedom,
Precious freedom.

I know some people.
It’s you and me.
We’ll stand for freedom.
We’ll raise up our voice for freedom.

Friends, we’ve got follow
in the footsteps of Rosa and Alice.
We’ll rise up for humanity.
We’ll speak out for our dignity.

Oh friends, what we know is, we’ll
raise up our voice and hold a light for liberty,
as we fight for freedom peacefully.

We’ve got to rise up, sit down, hang on for freedom, precious freedom.

Catherine Dalton

Program Notes

She Stood for Freedom was inspired by everyday people who have employed non-violent means to stand up for equality and the rights of others and by the everyday leaders who have the moral strength to step back from their own anger and fear in order to rise up, sit down, and hold on for freedom.

Although I could have chosen many woman, or many men, for that matter, I chose to lift up Rosa Parks and Alice Paul for their work in the civil rights and the women’s suffrage movements, respectively.

The last piece of the puzzle, friends, is us — you and me, whatever that means to us individually. We are the ones who can choose to follow in Rosa and Alice’s footsteps, to take up the torch, in ways large and small, if we so choose.

Of course, we have a long way to go and there is much work to be done. At times it can seem overwhelming. It is during these times that I look around me in amazement of all activists around the world. May we raise up our voices together.

Performance Notes

Performances

Cleveland Chamber Choir, Scott MacPherson, director (rev. 2020) – World Premiere (Cleveland and Kent, Ohio) 50th Anniversary of the Kent State Shootings
Arlington Street Church Adult Choir, Mark David Buckles, conductor (Boston) – World Premiere Event
First Unitarian Congregation of Toronto, Dallas Bergen, conductor (Toronto, ON, Canada) – World Premiere Event
Unitarian Fellowship of Lawrence, Susan Harper, conductor (Lawrence, ON, Canada)
Arlington Street Church Adult Choir, Mark David Buckles, conductor (Boston) – 50th Anniversary of the Selma Bridge Crossing and Bloody Sunday
First Unitarian Congregation of Toronto, Dallas Bergen, conductor (Toronto, ON, Canada) – 50th Anniversary of the Selma Bridge Crossing and Bloody Sunday

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