Bernice Johnson Reagon

Bernice Johnson Reagon earned her widest recognition as the founder and driving presence behind Sweet Honey in the Rock, the women’s ensemble based in Washington, D.C. She also earned distinction as a political activist, served as Distinguished Professor at American University in Washington, and held the title of curator emeritus at the Smithsonian Institution while releasing solo albums from time to time. In the 1960s she established the Freedom Singers under the auspices of the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee. Ahead of launching Sweet Honey in the Rock in 1973, she acted as vocal director for the D.C. Black Repertory Theater. Gospel selections encountered during services at the Black American Baptist Church supplied her earliest musical influences, and those surrounding harmonies later informed the signature sound of her celebrated group. Reagon regarded music itself as an instrument for reshaping society, cultivating awareness of heritage and cultural pride, forging unity against hardship, and drawing people together even while honoring their distinctions. Alongside her performances and songwriting with Sweet Honey in the Rock, her teaching, and her curatorial work, she produced books and videos. She died on July 16, 2024, at the age of 81.