The next installment of the Soundtrack for Blackness series is a return to the topic of healing. Before this series began at Stony Brook University, it was a standalone event during the pandemic lockdown hosted by Wesleyan University. The collective medical and psychological crises of the lockdown heightened by the concurrent #BlackLivesMatter protests inspired an exploration of how music is evoked as a source of healing for black folks navigating the margins, be that healing physical, social, or emotional. Since the first instantiation of this event, several impactful events have given reason to revisit healing, as both a concept and a praxis. We have invited scholars Fredara Hadley (The Julliard School) and Courtney-Savali Andrews (Oberlin College & Conservatory of Music) to guide us through A Soundtrack for Black Healing. 

Music playlist:

"Let Your Heart Be Free" Patrice Rushen

"Optimistic" Sounds of Blackness

"Liberation" OutKast

"Sunshower" Dr. Buzzard’s Original Savannah Band

"A Love Supreme Pt. IV" John Coltrane

"Cinnamon Tree" Esperanza Spalding

"Keep Ya Head Up" 2Pac

"Water No Get Enemy" Fela Kuti

"i" Kendrick Lamar

"Children of Flint" Vijay Iyer, Linda May Han Oh, Tyshawn Sorey

"Someday We'll All Be Free" Donny Hathaway

“Shining Star” Earth, Wind and Fire

The Spotify collective list:

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3WdL9KW51eak8vB6XG522J?si=Jy8vtVRDRn2x2lwzm3U6jg&pi=u-R6Y2o6lvQM6H