There were many memorable freedom songs made famous during the Civil Rights movement. Anthems like 鈥淲e Shall Overcome鈥� gave disenfranchised people of color strength while facing down their oppressors.
In Chapel Hill, a woman named Susie Weaver was very active in the movement and actually wrote her own Civil Rights song.
A visit to the was the first introduction to Susie Weaver and this lost song.
Susie Weaver and her husband Bynum Weaver owned the only black funeral home in town. Today, it鈥檚 called Knotts Funeral Home, and their portraits hang on the wall in the chapel.
But their daughter, Wanda Weaver, says it was her mother鈥檚 singing that got all of the attention.
鈥淵es, yes. She loved to sing. She was a singer, that鈥檚 what she did," said Wanda Weaver. "And servicing the community."
Susie Weaver and the Weaver Gospel Singers performed everywhere, including live on the radio. And she even wrote her own Civil Rights song, which was recorded and pressed into vinyl.
"I just remember the ending of the song, and she would go, 鈥楾here will be freedom in Chapel Hill someday,鈥� Wanda Weaver sang.
And that's the name of the lost song - "Freedom in Chapel Hill."
is the African American Collection and Outreach Specialist for the Historical Collection at Carolina. She searched for Susie Weaver, but didn鈥檛 find much.
鈥淗ow can someone like Susie Weaver disappear from the archival records? Why is it so limited?" said Powell. "If you have that stuff in your attic or your basement, could you think about putting it in a repository so that people can learn more about her.鈥�
In a folder there was a transcribed interview with Susie Weaver, dating back to 1974, but still no recordings of 鈥淔reedom in Chapel Hill.鈥�
Powell was able to find a photo, online of Susie Weaver鈥檚 record. 吉彩网网站 Music Librarian Brian Burns knew exactly who to call 鈥� .
鈥淲hen I heard you were looking for this specific song that was pressed on a really small label, I knew they would be the best people to ask about that," Burns said.
When you walk into Carolina Soul on Main Street in Durham, it鈥檚 like going back in time.
Jason Perlmutter is the owner. He prides himself with being able to find the coolest and most obscure vinyl records 鈥� soul, disco, jazz, country even gospel.
鈥淲e find records in a lot of different situations, from private collectors, people who used to work in the business who maybe are getting rid of their stuff and everything in between," Perlmutter said.
And then a couple of months ago, Perlmutter was in Charlotte and got his hands on thousands of 45s.
鈥淵eah, I thought, wow that鈥檚 cool because I think that we just found some copies of that,鈥� he said.
He had the record, which begins like this:
鈥淲e are tired, and we are weary, but we must fight on until we get freedom in Chapel Hill for all, oh yes.鈥�
Susie Weaver鈥檚 鈥淔reedom in Chapel Hill鈥� was made into a record by JCP Records out of Raleigh. We think the song was recorded live at First Baptist Church in Chapel Hill in the 1960s. Weaver passed away in 1984.
Now, thanks to Perlmutter, a copy of the record is in the Southern Historical Collection at UNC and family members also have a copy, like Susie Weaver鈥檚 niece, Kathy Atwater.
鈥淓motional, brought up emotions, remembering her," said Atwater. "It鈥檚 amazing, she still lives.鈥�
