Pete Seeger/traditional

Pete Seeger (1919-2014) was an American folk musician and activist who drew deeply from African American spiritual traditions and American folk hymnody. Though primarily known as a folk musician and civil rights activist, Seeger championed traditional spirituals and protest songs rooted in the church music of marginalized communities, helping preserve and popularize these sacred traditions during the mid-twentieth century. As a member of The Weavers and as a solo artist, he performed and recorded numerous spirituals and folk hymns that carried messages of social justice and spiritual hope. Seeger's work demonstrated the profound connection between religious music, particularly African American spirituals, and the broader movement for civil rights and social change. His legacy includes bringing traditional hymnic and spiritual material to contemporary audiences and affirming the enduring power of sacred music as a vehicle for activism and community transformation.