Freedom songs were an important feature of the way of life which existed during the civil rights movement.
Freedom songs served as mechanisms for unity in the black community during the movement.
The melodies were simple with repetitious choruses, which allowed easy involvement within both black and white communities, furthering the spread of their message.
Politically, freedom songs were often sung in order to grab the attention of the nation and force it to address the severity of racial segregation in the United States.
Zilphia Horton also played a role in the conversion of spirituals to civil rights songs.