This protest march consisted of around 250,000 people participants. The march aimed to draw attention to the continued discrimination black Americans were facing. At the end of this march, Dr Martin Luther King Jr., stood in front of the Lincoln Memorial and delivered his ‘I Have Dream Speech’
Odetta performed 'Oh, Freedom' at the March on Washington in front of the 250,000 people.
And go home to my Lord and be free
No more mourning, no more mourning, no more mourning over me
And before I'd be a slave I'd be buried in my grave
Oh freedom, oh freedom, oh freedom over me
And before I'd be a slave I'd be buried in my grave
And go home to my Lord and be free
[Come and Go with Me]
Come, go with me to that land
Go with me to that land
Where I'm bound
Come, go with me to that land
Come, go with me to that land
Go with me to that land
Where I'm bound
There's no kneeling in that land
There's no kneeling in that land
No kneeling in that land
Where I'm bound
There's no kneeling in that land
There's no kneeling in that land
No kneeling in that land
Where I'm bound
Come and go with me to that land
Come and go with me to that land
Go with me to that land
Where I'm bound
Come and go with me to that land
Come and go with me to that land
Go with me to that land
Where I'm bound
[I'm on My Way]
I'm on my way
And I won't turn back
I'm on my way
And I won't turn back
I'm on my way
And I won't turn back
I'm on my way
Hey, I'm on my way
Gonna ask my brother
Want to come with me?
Gonna ask my brother
Won't you come with me?
I'm gonna ask my brother
Won't you come with me?
I'm on my way
Hey, I'm on my way
Gonna ask my Captain
Won't you let me go?
Ask my Captain
Won't you let me go?
I'm gonna ask my Captain
Won't you let me go?
I'm on my way
Thank God, I'm on my way
And if he says no, no, no, no
I'll go anyhow
If he says no
Gonna go anyhow
And if he says no
Gonna go anyhow
I'm on my way
Hey God, I'm on my way
I'm on my way, I'm on my way
I won't turn back
I'm on my way
And I won't turn back
I'm on my way
And I won't turn back
I'm on my way
Thank God, I'm on my way
Metaphor comparing the lynchings of black Americans to strange fruit hanging from the trees
Heavy loaded words used such as 'rot' to be compared with earlier more gentle images of 'Scent of magnolias sweet and fresh' source: https://www.loc.gov/static/programs/national-recording-preservation-board/documents/StrangeFruit.pdf
About Oh, Freedom:
Oh, Freedom originated from the spirtual 'Before I'd Be a Slave'. Joan Baez frequently sung her version of the song at her concerts and other events.