Bernice Johnson Reagon, a prominent figure in the American civil rights movement known for her powerful voice and steadfast activism, passed away at the age of 81, as confirmed by her daughter Toshi Reagon on Wednesday.
Described by her daughter as a scholar, singer, composer, organizer, and activist, Bernice Johnson Reagon dedicated more than fifty years of her life to combating racism and systemic inequities in the United States and globally. Toshi Reagon announced her mother’s death on Facebook, although no specific cause was disclosed.
Born in 1942 in Dougherty County, Georgia, Bernice Johnson Reagon became deeply involved in the civil rights movement during her time at Georgia’s Albany State College, a historically Black institution that has since become a university, according to her biography.
Reagon’s involvement in activism led her to join the original Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) Freedom Singers in 1962. The group’s performances not only raised funds for SNCC initiatives but also served as rallying points for activists.
Reflecting on her early activism, Reagon recounted in an online SNCC archive her role in organizing large meetings where she led songs such as the adapted African American spiritual, “Over my head, I see Trouble in the Air,” substituting “freedom” for “trouble” to powerful effect.
In 1973, Bernice Johnson Reagon founded Sweet Honey in the Rock, an acclaimed a cappella ensemble consisting of African American women. The group’s repertoire included “Ella’s Song,” a composition featuring the resonant refrain “we who believe in freedom cannot rest, we who believe in freedom cannot rest until it comes,” inspired by the words of civil rights leader Ella Baker. The song remains a staple at demonstrations today.
Beyond her musical contributions, Reagon was recognized as a scholar of African American spirituals, holding the title of professor emeritus of history at American University and curator emeritus at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History.
Bernice Johnson Reagon’s legacy as a musician, scholar, and tireless advocate for social justice continues to resonate profoundly in the realms of music and civil rights activism.
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