We Shall Overcome: The Story of a Song by Debbie Levy (review)

Levy takes readers on a whirlwind tour of African-American history from slavery through President Obama’s election, with highlights on the march toward civil rights reflected in the evolving words of the song “We Shall Overcome.” At its best, this title directs listeners to take notice of the way new stages in the civil rights movement influence subtle changes in the lyrics of the song: “They brought a church song, ‘I Will Overcome,’ to the streets. But since they were marching and working together, they sang ‘We Will Overcome.’ We, together, will overcome.” So powerful was the song, Levy observes, that freedom movements around the world adopted it as well, from Bangladesh and South Africa to Czechoslovakia to South Korea. Unfortunately, unsourced details of the song’s international performance are shuffled into an annotated timeline in the end matter, undercutting the song’s supposed impact. Digital and mixed-media artwork sports considerable energy in composition, but there’s an awkward flatness in the portraiture. Sources aligned to the lyrical change-ups are included, as a list of recordings (several available on the internet) and a list for further reading.