For the Your Story, Our Story project I chose a protest song, co-written by my grandma. My grandma grew up in the 1950s unaware of segregation and the Jim Crow laws in the South. She was horrified to learn these things went on in her country. When civil rights legislation was passed she thought the problem of racism was solved. The 1960s seemed full of opportunities, especially for women. Her mother had been the first woman allowed to continue working at the Prudential Insurance Company after she was married, which required the CEO’s permission. When the Vietnam War started, her life changed dramatically. My grandpa was drafted so their wedding was canceled. After he was stationed in Washington D.C., they got married. In 1969 they attended a huge anti war rally with hundreds of thousands of people. Fearing violence at the rally, the White House was surrounded by bumper to bumper buses with deflated tires and there were snipers on the roof. However this protest was peaceful and hundreds of thousands of people were marching and singing “We Shall Overcome”. During 2025, she felt that a protest song was needed. She wrote a chant that was transformed into a song by Sally Ann Morris. This protest song “Be The Light” was sung by thousands of people at two No Kings rallies. Protest songs have been an integral part of inspiring change and encouraging people to stand up for what they believe all over the world, and my grandma has been a part of that. 

– HB

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