SPIRITUALS A NATIONAL TREASURE
Music connects us in a way that reveals our common humanity. This American music series is designed to bring awareness and understanding to the relationship between America’s first original music, America’s diverse cultural heritage and American history. In this music … Read More
The African American spirituals story is deeply embedded within the American story. It is important to realize that the spirituals created by the enslaved Africans in America, have been and are embraced by all of us. Their unique and original … Read More
‘I Shall Not Be Moved’ reveals the heart and soul of the African American Spirituals. As human beings one of the most powerful emotions we have is our deep-rooted yearning to have our voice heard and acknowledged. It was no … Read More
“The continuing legacy of those historic songs helped bind us together, gave us courage and helped us march together during the Civil Rights Movement. I believe as you do that this is historical and cultural information which should be preserved. … Read More
What exactly is hidden in a spiritual? Was there a path to freedom embedded in these songs? Were the enslaved Africans just victims or were their triumphs hidden in plain view? What are we teaching our children? These are questions … Read More
In historical context, the spirituals transcended and survived societies one sided reflection of history in a time period that would not allow the slaves who created the spirituals to have a voice. Therefore the essence and secret intent of the … Read More
Are we forgetting and leaving out some of the sacred voices of all our ancestors? When you don’t know your history, you don’t know your ancestors fortitude, or their inspiring determination to get right back up when they failed, or … Read More
Wade In The Water is one of the spirituals that has many secret codes embedded within the song that was used to give guidance to the slave as he embarked on his journey to freedom on the Underground Railroad. The … Read More
I thought it would be fun to share with you part of a letter I wrote to update my fans on my work to preserve the African American Spirituals as a National Treasure back in 2006 and 2007. It was … Read More
In the spiritual songs,“Give Me That Old Time Religion” and “I Want To Die Easy, When I Die” the slaves were talking about their faith. These particular spirituals dealt with the slave’s desire to continue to strengthen their faith in … Read More