“Blackbird singing in the dead of night, take these broken wings and learn to fly.” Those words, first brought to life by Paul McCartney and now reimagined by Beyoncé on her Cowboy Carter album, carry a lot of weight.
For many, Blackbird is a song of resilience — a powerful anthem for those who have fought for their freedom. As we reflect on Black freedom as a revolution, those lyrics become a reminder of the strength it took to rise from the depths of oppression.
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In the Cowboy Carter Chronicles, Digital Producer Jyesha Johnson write a weekly series, delving into the significant Black history and cultural contributions highlighted in the course on the American West.
COWBOY CARTER CHRONICLES: New UH course uses Beyoncé’s album to explore forgotten black history
The weight of Watch Night
Imagine the air thick with both fear and hope. That was the atmosphere on December 31, 1862, during Watch Night. Enslaved people gathered in churches and homes, waiting to hear the news that the Emancipation Proclamation would take effect at midnight. It was a night of anticipation, wondering if freedom would finally become reality.
The proclamation only applied to Confederate states in rebellion, but it changed the war’s purpose. The fight wasn’t just about keeping the Union together — it was about ending slavery. Those who escaped to Union lines were no longer just fugitives; they were “contraband” of war, a legal loophole that gave them a claim to freedom. In that way, enslaved people forced the nation to confront the real stakes of the Civil War.
The role of resistance
“Take these sunken eyes and learn to see, all your life you were only waiting for this moment to be free.”
Freedom wasn’t something given. It was something taken. Enslaved people risked everything to escape, often under the cover of night. Like the blackbird in the song, they used the darkness to navigate their way toward liberation. Some joined the Union Army, turning from fugitives to freedom fighters.
Historians like Clint Smith in How the Word is Passed and Kellie Carter Jackson in We Refuse tell the stories of those who liberated themselves. It’s a narrative of courage and defiance — a revolution led by people who refused to wait.
Texas and the Legacy of Juneteenth
While the Emancipation Proclamation declared enslaved people free in 1863, not everyone knew. Texas, isolated and resistant, held onto slavery. It wasn’t until June 19, 1865 — more than two years later — that General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston with 2,000 Union soldiers, many of them Black, to enforce the proclamation.
His reading of General Order No. 3 declared, “All slaves are free.” That day, now known as Juneteenth, became a celebration of freedom and resilience. Even then, freedom came with challenges. Early Juneteenth gatherings were often pushed to the outskirts of town. But like the blackbird soaring into the light of a dark night, Black communities celebrated anyway, honoring the joy and struggle of emancipation.
Beyond the Proclamation: A continued flight
“Blackbird fly, into the light of a dark black night.”
Freedom wasn’t the end of the story. The North may have branded itself as a land of liberty, but it wasn’t without its contradictions. In 1827, New York had more enslaved people than Georgia. Even Lincoln’s proclamation was more political than moral — a move to weaken the Confederacy. True equality wasn’t on the table yet.
But Black people didn’t wait for the government to catch up. They built schools, founded churches, and formed communities. They carried the fight for justice forward, refusing to let their moment of freedom be diminished.
A song of resilience
Beyoncé’s choice to cover Blackbird on Cowboy Carter isn’t just a musical tribute — it’s a reclamation. Through her voice, the song becomes a reflection of the long flight toward liberation. It’s a reminder that Black freedom has always been a revolution of resilience.
From spirituals sung in fields to the marches of the Civil Rights Movement, music has been a constant companion in the fight for justice. And even today, the echoes of Watch Night can still be heard as communities gather to mark the passing of each New Year.
“You were only waiting for this moment to arise.” And arise we shall.
Catch up on Cowboy Carter Chronicles:
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