“Glory,” by John Legend and Common is a song that infuses both rap and soul elements. Written for the movie Selma, “Glory” portrays historical figures and events in a timeless way, which can be connected to modern-day societal ills.
To introduce “Glory” to a high school-level History class, I would ask students if they had ever watched the movie Selma, or heard any of John Legend’s or Common’s music. After hearing students’ responses, I would introduce the song lyrics, and ask students to share their initial thoughts and reactions. After hearing the reactions of students, I would draw their attention to specific lyrics. I would then engage students in a writing exercise surrounding what these lyrics mean to them.
The use of “Glory” in the classroom supports multiple tenets regarding how to build a culturally relevant class. Specifically, the lesson plan supports, “(b) Students are apprenticed in a learning community rather than taught in an isolated and unrelated way,” and, “(d) Teachers and students participate in a broad conception of literacy that incorporates both literature and oratory” (Stovall, 588). By holding a classroom discussion, students are exposed to other perspectives and ideas, rather than focusing on learning independently and silently. Additionally, literacy, auditory, oral, and writing skills are each incorporated through this lesson, by collaborating with others, reading lyrics, and writing a response. Furthermore, studying the messages present in “Glory” relate to the fifth tenet, “Teachers and students engage in a collective struggle against the status quo” (Stovall, 588). Infusing hip-hop culture into mainstream curriculum counteracts the traditional white-focused curriculum present in most classrooms.
“Glory” can also be used to implement various aspects of critical pedagogy. For example, studying this song itself supports two of the Critical Race Theory (CRT) boundaries, “CRT in education rejects ahistoricism and examines the historical linkages between contemporary educational inequity and historical patterns of racial oppression,” and, “CRT in education agitates and advocates for meaningful outcomes that redress racial inequity” (Dixson & Rousseau Anderson). When trying to incorporate critical pedagogy in the classroom, it is critical to focus on the works and stories from people of color, instead of simply using the traditional white narratives. The song talks about historical details in a timeless way, and reminds listeners that the fight towards racial equity is not over.
Sources:
Adrienne D. Dixson & Celia Rousseau Anderson (2018) Where are We? Critical Race Theory in Education 20 Years Later, Peabody Journal of Education, 93:1, 121-131, DOI: 10.1080/0161956X.2017.1403194, https://doi.org/10.1080/0161956X.2017.1403194 .
Common & John Legend – Glory Lyrics, Genius, 11 Dec. 2014, https://genius.com/Common-and-john-legend-glory-lyrics . Accessed 16 Mar. 2023.
Stovall, David. “We Can Relate.” Urban Education, vol. 41, no. 6, 2006, pp. 585–602., https://doi.org/10.1177/0042085906292513.
Contributor: Olivia Crowley