How to Use “We Shall Not Be Moved” In the Classroom

“We Shall Not Be Moved” transforms itself into a song to remember Black History, Civil Rights, freedom rights around the world, and the power of music with its simplistic style perfect for learning in the music classroom. Perfect for exploring in class or performances, and easily integrated into-

  • Black History Month,
  • Women’s History Month
  • Hispanic Heritage Month
  • Juneteenth
  • Civil Rights Lessons
  • World History

Table of Contents

  1. Protest & Spiritual Black History Song w/Orff Arr. on TPT
  2. Origins of the Song
    1. African-American Spiritual
    2. Early 20th Century
    3. 1930s Labor Rights Song
    4. “I Shall Not” to “We Shall Not”
    5. Union Song to FREEDOM Song
      1. The Freedom Singers at the March on Washington, 1963
    6. The Benefit of Protest Songs
      1. Mavis Staples
    7. “No Nos Moverán”
      1. No Nos Moverán with Joan Báez
    8. The Song Travels Around the World
  3. Summary
  4. Verses
  5. Performance Videos
    1. Mississippi John Hurt
    2. Rhiannon Giddens
  6. Books to Reference
  7. References
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Black History Month Songs & Curriculum

Originally Published: January 2022
Last Updated: February 2026

Black History Month Songs & Curriculum cover image.
Lift Every Voice for Black History Month curriculum resources.

What a wealth of wonderful songs to sing for Black History Month! Not only will you find Black History Month songs to sing but songs for listening, a musician and song database with music that’s appropriate for kids, authentic research articles and information, and decor for your bulletin boards and classroom door.

This post may contain affiliate links. I make a small commission at no additional cost to you. Read my full disclosure.

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Find Kids’ Songs By Subject In The Big Database

Does your concert have a theme? This GROWING database currently has songs categorized by subject and includes animals, food, geography, numbers, positivity, and The 80s. Many more coming soon!

Current Subjects: animals, Black History Month, bugs, colors, food, geography, love/valentines, numbers, places/travel, positivity, The 80s, westerns/cowboy, World Music.

Theme & Title Ideas Below


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What are your favorite winter and spring concert songs for kindergarten?

This great question had me going back through Dropbox, Google Drive, and old computer drives looking for answers.

My Song Criteria for Kindergarten Concerts

  • Repetitive
  • Could add motions
  • Popular classics, current hits, written for that age group (MusicK8)
  • I could successfully stretch out the song to at least 2 minutes
    • Sometimes that meant rearranging by creating new verses or repeats.
    • Easy if using acoustic accompaniment
    • For mp3s, I’d put them into Soundtrap and arrange

Winter
Kinderpolka (dance)
Little Wheel A-Turnin’ In My Heart
Mousie In the Snow (MK8)
Dreidel (traditional)
Snow is Falling Today (MK8)
Mr. SnowRap (MK8)
Snowman Jump (MK8)
Frosty the Snowman (traditional)
Do You Want to Build a Snowman (Frozen)
Nutcracker March (movement)
This Little Light of Mine (traditional)
Peace Like a River (traditional)

(While I did Christmas music years ago, I eventually got away from any song referencing Christmas, except the occasional Rudolph.)

Christmas/Santa Songs
Mary Had a Baby
Must Be Santa
Rudolph
Children Go Where I Send Thee (LOVE this song…)

Spring
“A” You’re Adorable (traditional)
Going Over the Sea (traditional)
She’ll Be Coming ‘Round the Mountain (traditional)
It’s a Small World (traditional)
Skinnamarink (traditional)
Be Kind to Your Web-Footed Friends (traditional)
Take Me Out to the Ballgame (traditional)
A Sailor Went to Sea (traditional)
Mi Chacra (Argentina)
This Old Man (traditional)
Puff the Magic Dragon (soloist on verses)

Concert Theme Ideas & Titles

  • Use a “National Day of…” as your theme. For example, April is National Kite (kites, flying), Frog (frogs, amphibians), and Literature Month (children’s book or books). Also in April, Bell Bottoms Day (70s & 80s music), National Wildlife Week (animal songs), Pajama Day (wear PJs, songs about dreaming, sleeping), National Dance Week, and LOTS more!
    • Broadway
  • Decades (50s, 70s, etc)
  • Patriotic
  • Candyland (candy and treats)
  • Colors
  • Seasons “One Spring Day”, “Time and Seasons”,
  • Water
  • Worksongs
  • Spirituals & Freedom Songs
  • Jazz “And All That Jazz”,
  • Connections (songs about other school subjects)
  • Emotions “If You’re Happy and You Know It”
  • Ocean “Octopus’ Garden”, “Under the Sea”, “Songs of Land and Sea”
  • Movies “A Night at the Movies”, “Pass the Popcorn”
  • Global “Around the World in Song”, “The Global Beat”,
  • Animals “We’re Going to the Zoo”, “Creatures of the Earth”, “I Went to the Animal Fair”
  • Boy Bands
  • Space “Out of this World”, “Journey to the Moon”, “Big Blue Ball”,
  • Journeys/Road Trip/Geography/Travel “Where’s Waldo?”,
  • Music (songs with music in the title) “
  • Silly Songs (songs with nonsense words)

Video List With Genre, Length, and Grade Level for Teachers

Image by Jan Alexander from Pixabay 

Disclaimer: This is a list of videos that teachers have used in their classrooms. The videos in this list have NOT been officially rated for content (especially the musicals) so you will need to view any video you want to show and make sure it is appropriate for your students.

Every school is different so it is very hard to determine the appropriate grade level for some of the videos. If you have suggestions for particular videos and an appropriate grade level, please let me know. I would love your input!

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