American folk singer and activist Pete Seeger (left) adopted and helped popularize "We Shall Overcome" by teaching the song at rallies and protests. Here he sings with activists in Greenwood, Miss., in 1963. Adger Cowans/Getty Images hide caption
The Summer of '63 From the assassination of civil rights icon Medgar Evers to the March on Washington to the killing of four young girls in a church in Birmingham, the summer of '63 was a pivotal moment in U.S. history. We'll explore the legacy of this historic summer.
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The Summer of '63
Kochiyama looks at a memorial for World War II Japanese-American internees at the Rohwer Relocation Center in Rohwer, Ark., in 2004. Mike Wintroath/AP hide caption
Bob Moses works with Jennifer Augustine, Guitoscard Denize, Darius Collins and other students who are part of this Algebra Project classroom. It's one of several student cohorts across the country where students who've struggled with math get to college-level by the end of high school. Christopher Connelly/NPR hide caption
Amiri Baraka leaves the polling place after voting in Newark, N.J., in 2010. Amiri's son, Ras Baraka, is currently running for mayor. Patti Sapone/Star Ledger/Corbis hide caption
Mary Hamilton was found in contempt of court in Alabama, when she refused to answer questions after the prosecution addressed her only by her first name. The U.S. Supreme Court later ruled in her favor. AP hide caption
Ruby and The Romantics' hit song "Our Day Will Come" wasn't necessarily political — but it resonated with listeners' feelings about the civil rights movement in 1963. Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images hide caption
Nina Simone was one of the voices that helped shape the civil rights movement. AP hide caption
The Freedom Singers make several appearances in our mix of songs inspired by the civil rights movement — a collection that ranges from 1963 to the present day. Joe Alper hide caption
Songs Inspired By The Civil Rights Movement
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Underlying the sweetness of Kyu Sakamoto's unexpected hit song "Sukiyaki" was a story of sadness and loss. Courtesy of the artist hide caption
Bittersweet At No. 1: How A Japanese Song Topped The Charts In 1963
When played on the radio in 1963, songs like Big Joe Turner's "Shake, Rattle and Roll" were code to Birmingham youths, telling them to assemble. Jan Persson/Redferns hide caption
Shake, Rattle And Rally: Code Songs Spurred Activism In Birmingham
Three men are denied access to a golf course in Columbus, Ohio, in January 1956. Blacks were regularly denied access to golf courses. AP hide caption
A 17-year-old Civil Rights demonstrator is attacked by a police dog in Birmingham, Ala., on May 3, 1963. This image led the front page of the next day's New York Times. Bill Hudson/ASSOCIATED PRESS hide caption
Martin Luther King Jr. addresses marchers during his "I Have a Dream" speech. AP hide caption
Bob Dylan performs at the Newport Folk Festival in 1963. His set included "Only a Pawn in Their Game," which he would also play at the 1963 March on Washington. Eyeneer hide caption
Gov. Wallace promises to block black students from enrolling at the University of Alabama while Nicholas Katzenbach, deputy attorney general of the United States listens. ASSOCIATED PRESS hide caption
Alabama Gov. George Wallace (right) blocks the door of the the Foster Auditorium at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Ala., on June 11, 1963. Wallace, who had vowed to prevent integration of the campus, gave way to federal troops. AP hide caption
Sylvester Monroe and then-wife Regina at his graduation from Harvard University in 1973. Courtesy of Sylvester Monroe hide caption
Medgar Evers' widow, Myrlie, comforts the couple's 9-year-old son, Darrel, at her husband's funeral in Jackson, Miss., on June 15, 1963. AP hide caption
Martin Luther King Jr., with the Rev. Ralph Abernathy (center) and the Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth, defied an injunction against protesting on Good Friday in 1963. They were arrested and held in solitary confinement in the Birmingham jail where King wrote his famous "Letter From Birmingham Jail." Courtesy of Birmingham Public Library Archives hide caption
Mississippi State's Stan Brinker (53) and Loyola's Jerry Harkness (15) shake hands before the NCAA Mideast regional semifinal college basketball game in East Lansing, Mich., on March 15, 1963. The game was a landmark contest between the schools that helped alter race relations on the basketball court. Loyola University Chicago/AP hide caption