“This Little Light of Mine” is an American folk song that has roots in both gospel music and the civil rights movement. The song’s lyrics are simple but filled with meaning such as celebrating ideas of hope, personal strength, and spiritual expression. The central message of the song is that every person has an inner "light", representing their goodness, faith, and truth that they should share with the world. The repeated lines, such as "This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine" emphasizes the importance of standing proud, staying true to oneself, and spreading positivity even when faced with challenges.

It is so well known across the country because it became closely tied to major moments in American history. During the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s, the song gained a greater significance. Becoming an anthem of resistance, hope, and determination. Activists sang it during marches and protests to inspire courage and remind each other that even small voices could have a powerful impact. The song’s message of letting one’s light shine resonated deeply with those fighting for equality and justice. It symbolized not just personal faith, but community strength and unity. The simple lyrics made it easy for large groups of all ages to sing it together. As time passed, the song spread from its roots in churches and protests and became part of American culture.

This song has special meaning to me because it can be sung by both the people who are facing struggles and the people who are standing beside them as allies. It shows that no one has to face hard times alone. To me, this song is about unity and the strength that comes from a caring and supportive community. It reminds me that when individuals come together in solidarity, their combined strength can bring lasting hope and change.

My name is Daniel Sydney. I have been living in The Netherlands for one and a half years. I was born in Venezuela but moved to the United States when I was a young child and was raised there. I originally began to study music in the USA until I made a big change to electrical engineering. I made this change due to being interested in synthesizers and electric music instruments. However, I found myself being fascinated with lasers during my studies and decided to pursue a career in research based on material processing with lasers. This brought me here to Enschede, doing a PhD at the University of Twente.

I have kept playing guitar and piano as hobbies even after changing my studies. I enjoy playing in live bands, music production, and learning new instruments. When I arrived here, I learned about the carillon of the university. I joined the carillon group on campus and have been playing the bells ever since.

Daniel himself sings the song at the liberation concert, accompanied by the city carillonist.