Music, Memory, and the Mission Forward

By Antar “Juda” Davidson

As we begin a new year of action and impact, we do so carrying the memory, courage, and moral clarity of those who came before us. This January, as communities across the country honor the legacy of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., we are reminded that the Civil Rights Movement was sustained not only by marches and speeches — but also by music, memory, and partnership.

That is why the archival release of Rabbi Richard (Dick) Hirsch’s 1968 eulogy for Dr. King resonates so deeply today. Standing before 2,000 mourners in Washington, Rabbi Hirsch reminded the nation that Dr. King’s dream was rooted in interfaith and interracial collaboration, and in the shared responsibility to confront moral challenges together. His words call us not only to remember — but to continue the work in our own time.

For me, that calling has always lived at the intersection of history and music.

Years ago, through work connected to the J Dilla Foundation on Dilla Day in Detroit, I began collaborating with Dr. Clarence B. Jones — Dr. King’s friend, counsel, and speechwriter. In those creative spaces, I witnessed something powerful: the same spirit that animated the freedom songs of the 1960s lives on in the rhythms, storytelling, and collaborative creativity of hip-hop today. Like the music of the Movement, it remains a language of resilience, connection, and possibility.

But music does more than preserve legacy — it also opens doors for the future.

When students create music, they practice collaboration, leadership, communication, and creative problem-solving. They learn confidence, agency, and the courage to see themselves as participants in shaping their communities. In this way, music becomes not only expression, but education, preparation, and a pathway into opportunity.

This reflects the deeper purpose of the Civil Rights Movement. The struggle was never meant to stop at access — it was meant to open doors to participation, contribution, and shared prosperity. Today, bringing music-centered learning into schools and community spaces allows young people to carry that mission forward in meaningful, constructive ways.

As we reflect on Rabbi Hirsch’s words and Dr. King’s legacy this MLK Day, may we treat them not as echoes from the past, but as instructions for the present — to build partnerships, uplift young voices, and create spaces where creativity leads to purpose and opportunity.

Music lit the road to Montgomery. It sustained hope in Selma. It carried courage through grief in 1968.

This year, may it help light the path forward — toward renewed connection, deeper understanding, and opportunity for all.