Organize, Agitate, Educate!

No.2 from Lifting As We Climb

Poet/Lyricist: 

Joan Szymko after quotes by Sarah Grimke, Susan B. Anthony, Sojourner Truth,
Carrie Catt, Anna Julia Cooper, Lucy Stone

“Organize, Agitate, Educate” is the stand alone 2nd movement of Lifting As We Climb, a choral narrative 30 minutes in length scored for women’s choir, narrators (6) piano, drum kit and alto sax. Suffragists come to life and previously hidden voices of African American women fighting for the vote are heard.  Lifting As We Climb looks back in time, but also explores the present day and anticipates a future that will require a diligent, informed public ready to fight for equality, democracy and the right to vote. “Organize, agitate, educate must be our war cry," are the words of Susan B. Anthony, a prominent figure in the first wave of suffragist action. The choral setting utilizes narrators to create a compelling story arc.

Level: 

Moderate
Item Voicing/Instrumentation Duration Price Audio View Score Quantity
JS-102
PDF purchase only
SSAA 4:45 $2.50 https://www.joanszymko.com/sites/joanszymko.com/files/audio_samples/Organize%2C%20Agitate%2C%20Educate%21.mp3

Audio Credits: 

Denver Women's Chorus
Text

Joan Szymko, on adaptations of quotes by Sarah Grimke, Susan B. Anthony, Sojourner Truth,
 Carrie Catt, Anna Julia Cooper and Lucy Stone. 

Organize, Agitate, Educate!

I ask no favors, I ask no favors for my sex; all I ask of my 

brethren is that they will take their feet from off our necks! 

Organize, agitate, educate! 

We’ll have our rights; see if we don’t;
and you can’t stop us from them; see if you can; 

You may hiss as much as you like, but it’s coming’ 

Organize, agitate, educate!
We’ll win the vote; see if we don’t. 

It is the emblem of equality,
the guarantee of liberty. 

Organize, agitate, educate!
Roll up your sleeves, set your mind to making history, 

and wage such a fight for liberty that
the whole world will respect our sex. 

To the wrongs that need resistance,

To the right that needs assistance,
To the future in the distance‚ give yourselves! 

Organize, agitate, educate! Roll up your sleeves,
set your mind to making history,
and wage such a fight for equality 

and the guarantee of liberty. 

We’ll have our rights! 

itemtext: 

PDF purchase only
Video

Organize, Agitate, Educate!