The film gives voice to those who, by insisting on equality and justice, spoke up for social change throughout U.S. history and also illustrates the relevance of this to today's society.

[1] The movie opened MoMA's Documentary Fortnight in New York in February 2009 and was screened on April 16, 2009 at the Atlanta Film Festival.

I had the greatest day of my life.’"[5] The People Speak soundtrack on Verve Records features Bruce Springsteen, who performs with just a guitar and harmonica in his New Jersey home recording studio, and John Legend who sings solo backed by a piano at a Boston theatre, as well as others (including Taj Mahal, Allison Moorer, The Black Crowes' Rich Robinson and X's Exene Cervenka and John Doe) at the Malibu Performing Arts Center, where they perform both vintage and recent protest-music classics.

", is sung by Moorer; Newman is at his piano for "Sail Away", the title track from his 1972 album; Legend performs Marvin Gaye's 1970s anthem "What's Going On"; Mahal plays "Blues With A Feeling"; and Cervenka and Doe revive X's roots rocker "See How We Are" from 1987.

The soundtrack, on Verve Records, features new songs by Allison Moorer, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Eddie Vedder, Exene Cervenka, Jackson Browne, John Doe, John Legend, Lupe Fiasco, P!nk, Randy Newman, Rich Robinson, and Taj Mahal.

The Australian version was filmed by Foxtel and The History Channel Australia on 9 July 2012 at Carriageworks in Redfern, Sydney in front of a live audience.

[7] Australian performers include Alex Dimitriades, Asher Keddie, Chris Haywood, Claudia Karvan, Dan Wyllie, David Wenham, Jack Thompson, Madeleine Madden, John Jarratt, Leah Purcell, Magda Szubanski, Rebecca Gibney, Ryan Kwanten, Sam Worthington.