We’ve chosen a few songs about famous African-Americans for this Black History Month list:

1. Frederick Douglass Frederick Douglass Kirkpatrick; Ballads Of Black America (Folkways)
2. Harriet Tubman’s Ballad (Part 1) Woody Guthrie; My Dusty Road (Rounder)
3. Harriet Tubman’s Ballad (Part 2) Woody Guthrie; My Dusty Road (Rounder)
4. I Refuse To Stand (Tribute To Rosa Parks) Pat Grant; Incredible (Pat Grant)
5. Jackie Robinson’s Legacy Phil Coley; Baseball Songs Sports Heroes-#2 (King Of The Road Music)
6. Obama Song Michael Franti & Spearhead featuring SoliLLaquists Of Sound, Cherine Anderson & Anthony B; Single-Obama Song (Anti/Epitaph)

For many other ways to use music to teach Black History Month, see GreenBookofSongs.com® categories such as African-American, Brotherhood, Celebrities & Famous Names: American Heroes, Presidents: Barack Obama, Slavery and War: Civil War.

January is Shape Up US Month! Here are a few songs to help you get moving.

1. (I’m A) Road Runner Jr. Walker & The All Stars; Anthology (Motown)
2. Bowling Song Asleep At The Wheel; Country Goes Raffi-C (Rounder)
3. Calling All Movers Imagination Movers; Juice Box Heroes (Walt Disney)
4. I Like To Run I Like To Jump David Mead; For The Kids Too-C (Nettwerk)
5. Jump Van Halen; 1984 (Warner Bros.)
6. New Workout Plan Kanye West; The College Dropout (Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam)

For more songs about exercise and activity, see GreenBookofSongs.com® categories such as Sports (various) and Running.

These songs will help Americans of all ages celebrate the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr.

1. Come By Here, Martin Luther King Kristin Lems; Imagine That! Songs For Creative Teachers (Carolsdatter)
2. Dr. King Mason Jennings; Birds Flying Away (Bar/None)
3. Dream, A Common; ST/Freedom Writers (Hollywood)
4. Happy Birthday Martin Luther King Evan Belize; Songs Of A True Patriot (Evan Belize)
5. King UB40; 1980-1983 (A&M)
6. Like A King Ben Harper; Welcome To The Cruel World (Virgin)
7. Up To The Mountain (MLK Song) Patty Griffin; Children Running Through (ATO)
8. Why? (The King Of Love Is Dead) Nina Simone; Very Best Of Nina Simone-Sugar In My Bowl-1967-1972 (RCA)

For more songs on this and related topics, see GreenBookofSongs.com® categories Brotherhood, Celebrities & Famous Names: American Heroes and Politics: Social Injustice.

Thanksgiving in songs? It has to include some history, some food, and of course, gratitude. All are represented below. Happy Thanksgiving!

1. (I’m Gonna Eat) On Thanksgiving Day Laurie Berkner; Whaddaya Think Of That? (Razor & Tie)
2. Blessed Martina McBride; Greatest Hits (RCA)
3. My Mom’s Thanksgiving Dinner Children Of N.Y.P.S. 24; Songs For All Year Long (Folkways)
4. Sailing To America Saxon; Crusader (Carrera)
5. Thankful N’ Thoughtful Sly & The Family Stone; Fresh (Legacy)
6. Thanksgiving The Stuffing; Single-Thanksgiving (EMA)
7. Thanksgiving Song Dave Holiday Sylvester; Single-Thanksgiving Song (Jambox)
8. Thanksgiving Song Jessica Klee; Single-Thanksgiving Song (Jessica Klee)

For more songs for Thanksgiving, see GreenBookofSongs.com® categories Holidays: Thanksgiving, Gratitude, Countries: America, History and Love: Friends & Family.

For 11/11/11, we suggest these great songs about the experience of veterans finding their place at home upon return. Remember to support as well as honor those who protected us!

1. Brothers Under The Bridge Bruce Springsteen; 18 Tracks (Columbia)
2. Hope Stephen Cochran; Single-Hope (Department Of Veterans Affairs)
3. I Just Came Back From A War Darryl Worley; Hear And Now (903)
4. My Dream Of The Big Parade Peerless Quartet with Henry Burr and Billy Murray; Single-My Dream Of The Big Parade (YouTube.com)
5. Sarge Rick Lance; Home Free-A Tribute To American Veterans-C (CD Baby)

You’ll find many more songs on this topic in GreenBookofSongs.com categories Holidays: Memorial & Veterans Day.

As Occupy Wall Street protests continue, we look back at the songs that grew from and sustained earlier social movements. You’ll find many more in our category Protest. Here’s a small sample:

1. Bread And Roses Judy Collins; So Early In The Spring, The First 15 Years (Elektra)
2. Eyes On The Prize Mavis Staples; We’ll Never Turn Back (Anti/Epitaph)
3. Get Up, Stand Up Bob Marley & The Wailers; Songs Of Freedom (Tuff Gong)
4. If I Had A Hammer (The Hammer Song) Peter, Paul & Mary; In Concert (Warner Bros.)
5. Ohio Crosby, Stills & Nash; CSN (Atlantic)
6. This Land Is Your Land Woody Guthrie; Woody Guthrie (Vanguard)
7. War Edwin Starr; War & Peace (Motown)
8. What’s Going On Marvin Gaye; What’s Going On (Motown)

Before 9/11, the Green Book Of Songs By Subject listed songs about danger and disaster in one general category. Afterwards, we were compelled to create a category devoted solely to this tragedy. Here is a selection from the 72 songs in Danger & Disaster: 9/11/2001.

1. America Will Survive Hank Williams, Jr.; Patriotic Country-C (BMG)
2. Believe Yellowcard; Ocean Avenue (Capitol)
3. Bravest, The Tom Paxton; Looking For The Moon (Appleseed)
4. Let’s Roll Neil Young; Are You Passionate? (Rhino/Warner Bros.)
5. On A Clear Day Jack Hardy; Vigil-N.Y. Songs Since 9/11-C (Conscious)
6. On That Day Leonard Cohen; Dear Heather (Columbia)
7. Tuesday Morning (9/11) John Yarrow; Loss Of Self (John Yarrow)
8. You’re Missing Bruce Springsteen; The Rising (Columbia)

C = Compilation

Each year, we celebrate Independence Day with songs from the GreenBookofSongs.com® category Holidays: Fourth of July. Our choice this year isn’t about fireworks or picnics, but instead about flags, history and the qualities of freedom those Revolutionary War soldiers fought to secure for us.

1. Here Comes The Freedom Train Merle Haggard; Capitol Collectors Series-Merle Haggard (Capitol)
2. Ragged Old Flag Johnny Cash; Patriot (Columbia)
3. Shot Heard Round The World Creator Kids; Startup History (Creator Kids)
4. This Is My Country Mormon Tabernacle Choir; Greatest Hits (Columbia)
5. This Is My Country Curtis Mayfield & The Impressions; Curtis Mayfield-The Anthology-1961-1977 (MCA)
6. You’re A Grand Old Glad John Peterson; George M. Cohan Tonight! (Sh-k-boom) 

Happy Fourth of July!

These songs, drawn from our category Holidays: Memorial & Veterans Day, express our commitment never to forget those who gave their lives for love of country.

1. 50,000 Names George Jones; The Rock: Stone Cold Country 2001 (BNA)
2. Angel Flight Radney Foster; Revival (Devil’s River)
3. Just A Dream Carrie Underwood; Carnival Ride (Arista Nashville)
4. Snow White Rows Of Arlington Sammy Kershaw; Single-Snow White Rows Of Arlington (MCA)
5. Soldiers Drowning Pool; Full Circle (Warner Bros.)
6. Somebody’s Darling Cumberlands; Civil War Tribute Collection-15 Timeless Classics (Rural Rhythm)

We developed this list of songs as we watched reports of the river flooding its way down the middle of the country. We are thinking of those in the river’s path.

After The Flood Lone Justice; Lone Justice (Geffen)

Bridge Washed Out Warner Mack; Country’s Greatest Hits-#3-C (MCA)

Flood Of ’57 Stanley Brothers & The Clinch Mountain Boys; Classic Bluegrass (Rebel)

Homeless Blues Odetta; Blues Everywhere I Go (M.C.)

Ol’ Man River Paul Robeson; Ol’ Man River (Mbop Global)

River, Stay ’Way From My Door Ethel Waters; Stars Salute Sinatra-C (Horgi)

Story Of The Mighty Mississippi Ernest Stoneman; People Take Warning! Murder Ballads And Disaster Songs-1913-1938-C (Tompkins Square)

When The Levee Breaks Memphis Minnie; Queen Of The Blues (Columbia/Legacy)

C = Compilation

For more, see GreenBookofSongs.com® categories Floods, Rivers and Danger & Disaster.