Black History Month in 2016 is more revolutionary than ever. From Beyonce’s Super Bowl performance to Kendrick Lamar’s special rendition of “Blacker The Berry”/”Alright” at the Grammys, Black culture has been brought to the TV screen and cellphones of the world. Now, another prolific event is sure to take place this evening (Feb. 16) when PBS airs The Black Panthers: Vanguard of the Revolution.
The documentary by Stanley Nelson and presented by Independent Lens, will highlight the rising of the Black Panther Party, which was founded by Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale 50 years ago. Before the documentary airs, Independent Lens has partnered with Pandora with a righteous playlist of songs celebrating Black life, love, and power.
Take a step back in time with powerful tracks from The Last Poets, Sly and The Family Stone, Stevie Wonder, N.W.A and more. Pandora has described the playlist as “active music for the activist spirit.” We can definitely agree. Check out the tracklist for the mixtape below and jam to it (for free) here.
| Song Title | Artist |
| (For God’s Sake) Give More Power to the People | The Chi-Lites |
| 2000 Blacks Got to Be Free | Fela Kuti |
| A Change Is Gonna Come | Sam Cooke |
| Am I Black Enough for You? | Billy Paul |
| Anger | Marvin Gaye |
| Attica Blues | Archie Shepp |
| Ball Of Confusion | The Temptations |
| Be Thankful for What You’ve Got | William DeVaughn |
| Better Off Dead | Bill Withers |
| Black Enough | Steel Pulse |
| Black Is | The Last Poets |
| Black Is the Color of My True Love’s Hair | Lauryn Hill |
| Black Liberation Struggle | Gregory Isaacs |
| Black Man | Stevie Wonder |
| Black Seeds | The Main Ingredient |
| Can’t Truss It | Public Enemy |
| Choice of Colors | The Impressions |
| Compared to What | Roberta Flack |
| Compared to What (Live) | Les McCann & Eddie Harris |
| Damn Right I Am Somebody, Pt. 1 (Original 7? Single Mix) | Fred Wesley & The J.B.’s |
| Disposable Society | Esther Phillips |
| Down to Now | Last Poets Feat. Chuck D |
| Every Ghetto, Every City | Lauryn Hill |
| Everyday People | Sly & The Family Stone |
| Everything Is Everything | Lauryn Hill |
| Express Yourself | N.W.A. |
| Fight the Power | Public Enemy |
| Fight the Power (Part 1 & 2) | The Isley Brothers |
| Freddie’s Dead | Curtis Mayfield |
| Free Bobby Now | The Lumpen |
| Freedom Time (Live) | Lauryn Hill |
| Ghetto Child (Demo Version) | Curtis Mayfield |
| Give The People What They Want | The O’Jays |
| Grandma’s Hands | Bill Withers |
| Heaven Help Us All | Stevie Wonder |
| Hell You Talkin Bout | Jeezy |
| Higher Ground | Stevie Wonder |
| Home Is Where the Hatred Is | Gil Scott-Heron |
| I Am Somebody (Part 2) | Johnnie Taylor |
| I Gotta Find Peace of Mind (Live) | Lauryn Hill |
| I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to Be Free | Nina Simone |
| I’m a African | Dead Prez |
| I’m Black and I’m Proud | Brand Nubian |
| Inner City Blues | Marvin Gaye |
| Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler) | Grover Washington, Jr. |
| It’s My Life I’m Fighting For | Leon Thomas |
| It’s Your World | Gil Scott-Heron & Brian Jackson |
| Just My Soul Responding | Smokey Robinson |
| Let My People Go | Darondo |
| Living for the City | Stevie Wonder |
| Love Child | The Supremes |
| Lying On The Truth | The Rance Allen Group |
| Message from a Black Man | The Temptations |
| Message from a Black Man | Derrick Harriott |
| Mississippi Goddam (Live) | Nina Simone |
| My People… Hold On | Eddie Kendricks |
| Oakland | Too Short |
| Oakland Stroke | Tower Of Power |
| Ohio / Machine Gun (Live) | The Isley Brothers |
| Panther | The Last Poets |
| Panther Power | 2Pac (Tupac) |
| Peace Go With You, Brother | Gil Scott-Heron & Brian Jackson |
| Proud To Be Black | Run-D.M.C. |
| Red, Black & Green | Roy Ayers Ubiquity |
| Respect Yourself | The Staple Singers |
| Say It Loud (I’m Black And I’m Proud, Pt. 1) | James Brown |
| Say It Loud (Say It Live) | James Brown |
| Silent Majority (Live At Newport) | Eddie Harris |
| Sounds of Black | The Sounds Of Black |
| Stand! | Sly & The Family Stone |
| Street Lady | Donald Byrd |
| Sugar Ray | Miles Davis |
| Supermarket Blues | Eugene McDaniels |
| The Dreamer (Feat. Talib Kweli & Timan Family Choir) | Anderson .Paak |
| The Ghetto | Donny Hathaway |
| The Liberation (Red, Black & Green) | Gil Scott-Heron & Brian Jackson |
| The Prisoner | Herbie Hancock |
| The Revolution Will Not Be Televised | Gil Scott-Heron |
| Theme From Shaft | Isaac Hayes |
| There Is the Bomb | Don Cherry |
| To Be Young, Gifted & Black | Nina Simone |
| To Be Young, Gifted And Black | Donny Hathaway |
| Until We’re Free | Elaine Brown |
| Voodoo Child (Slight Return) | Jimi Hendrix |
| Wake Up | Larry Williams |
| Walk Like a Warrior | Dead Prez |
| We’re a Winner | The Impressions |
| What Color Is Love | Terry Callier |
| What We Need | Tribe |
| When the Revolution Comes | The Last Poets |
| Why Can’t We Live Together | Timmy Thomas |
| Winter in America (Solo Version) | Gil Scott-Heron |
| Woman of the Ghetto | Marlena Shaw |