Palestinians discuss music and non-violence with former assistant to Martin Luther King Jr.

Dr. Elbert Ransom—civil rights leader, former assistant to Dr. Martin Luther King, and music expert crossed the digital divide with the help of the U.S. Consulate General to engage Palestinian musicians, civil rights activists and students in discussions on non-violence.  In the programs in Jerusalem and Ramallah on March 18, 19, Dr. Ransom explained how music not only united activists and gave them courage to resist violence and arrests, but how it served as one of the most effective ways to involve Americans of all races, professions and backgrounds in the Civil Rights movement.  The audiences were moved by the spirituals and other music samples that Dr. Ransom played, and sang along during the program.  The U.S. Consulate sponsored English students from the ACCESS program, gave a rousing rendition of “We Shall Overcome.”  Both groups discussed with Dr. Ransom the ways in which their own Palestinian music can help them to nonviolently achieve their political and social goals and how they can overcome language and cultural barriers by sharing this music with their neighbors and the wider world.