Given this vision, it's not surprising that when it comes to music, DuVernay stays away from the big group sing-alongs and celebrity sightings weighing down our memories of King's crusades. At the film's conclusion, we hear a very 21st-century anthem crafted by John Legend and Common and now nominated for an Oscar for Best Song; Common's rap in particular calls for action while connecting the film's historical events to the present day. That's followed by the old crowd-pleaser "This Little Light Of Mine." But there's no folksy chorus during a march and no majestic solos like the ones Mahalia Jackson and others took on the Washington Mall in 1963. Instead, one of Selma's most powerful moments — one frequently singled out by critics for praise — captures a secret, crucial reassurance murmured into that most tenderly held instrument, the telephone receiver. Afraid of what Selma holds for him, King makes a late-night call to his friend and fellow freedom fighter Mahalia Jackson (portrayed by the versatile vocalist Ledisi) and asks her to share "the Lord's voice" with him. She answers by singing his favorite gospel song, "Take My Hand, Precious Lord."