Odetta was a folk singer who changed America. Martin Luther King Jr. annointed her "The Queen of Folk." Bill Clinton presented her with the National Medal for the Arts and Humanities and referred to her as a true American visionary. However, her greatest legacy - in my opinion - was popularizing the song "This Little Light of Mine (I'm Gonna Let it Shine)"... just think how many sunday schoolers grew up singing that tune!
Later this year, Scholastic will be releasing a picture-book biography about Odetta, but it's also a tapestry of American civil rights history presented in gorgeous poetic narrative, with richly stylized paintings by illustrator Stephen Alcorn. You can pre-order the book here from Amazon.com. You might also be interested in the album "Gonna Let it Shine" which is available now on iTunes.
Matthew 5:16, "Let your light shine before men, that they may see your fine works and give glory to your Father who is in the heaven."
