In the late 1980s, the people of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia began using the openness of glasnost to protest their violent incorporation into the Soviet Union in 1939. Their strategy was non-violence, and singing was one of the most effective tactics. All three achieved independence in 1991, with some loss of life in Lithuania, less in Latvia, and none at all in Estonia. It’s an inspiring story!

 

Topics: civil rights, music