10 Juneteenth Playlists That Tells the Story of Black America

Juneteenth isn’t just a date on the calendar. It’s a memory etched into our collective spirit, of delay, resistance, and the long, unfinished road to freedom. While some celebrate with food and flags, many of us turn to music, because no matter the era, Black America has always turned pain into rhythm, and resistance into sound.

Songs have carried what history books often leave out: the coded instructions for escape, the cries for justice, the declarations of identity, and the unwavering promise that we will overcome.

This Juneteenth, we’ve curated a playlist that tells that story. These are not just songs, they’re testimonies. Each one captures a piece of our lived experience.

1. “Wade in the Water” – Negro Spiritual

Before there were microphones, there were fields. Songs like “Wade in the Water” weren’t simply for comfort, they were messages. Warnings. Directions. They helped enslaved people navigate escape routes. This was music as a lifeline.

2. “A Change Is Gonna Come” – Sam Cooke (1964)

Sam Cooke poured his heart into this song after facing racism firsthand. It became an anthem during the Civil Rights Movement, and nearly 60 years later, its haunting promise “It’s been a long time coming…””—still rings true for many of us.

3. “Say It Loud – I’m Black and I’m Proud” – James Brown (1968)

At a time when Blackness was constantly under attack, James Brown gave us an unapologetic anthem. It told kids in the ‘60s and us today that pride in your Blackness is a revolutionary act.

4. “What’s Going On” – Marvin Gaye (1971)

Marvin Gaye asked the questions many were too tired or too afraid to voice. The track was gentle, but the message was powerful: Look around. Really look. His words are just as urgent now as they were then.

5. ”Alright”—Kendrick Lamar (2015)

When Kendrick’s voice echoed through the streets during Black Lives Matter protests, it wasn’t just music anymore; it was a war cry dressed in poetry. “We gon’ be alright” became both a prayer and a promise.

6. “Freedom” – Beyoncé feat. Kendrick Lamar (2016)

Beyoncé doesn’t just sing on this track, she wails, she warns, she walks through centuries of inherited pain. This is a woman pushing through the flood to claim something freer for the next generation.

7. “Lift Every Voice and Sing” – James Weldon Johnson / Various Artists

Called the Black National Anthem, this song has been sung in churches, protests, and school auditoriums for over a century. It doesn’t just honor where we’ve been, it points to where we’re still trying to go.

8. “Black Parade” – Beyoncé (2020)

Released on Juneteenth 2020, this wasn’t just a song, it was a cultural love letter. From Black-owned businesses to ancestral pride, Beyoncé gave us a moment of joy in the middle of pain.

9. “Fight the Power” – Public Enemy (1989)

Chuck D didn’t hold back, and we needed that. This song challenged everything from politics to pop culture and reminded us that fighting oppression means being loud, bold, and unapologetically honest.

10. “Glory” – Common & John Legend (2014)

Written for the 2014 film Selma, which dramatised Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s march for voting rights, “Glory” connects historical activism with modern resistance. Its Oscar-winning impact cemented the role of art in shaping the civil rights discourse.