Throughout the history of slavery, enslaved people organized resistance, escape and rebellion. Sustaining them in this struggle was their music, some examples of which are sung to this day. While the existence of slave songs, especially spirituals, is well known, their character is often misunderstood. Slave songs were not only lamentations of suffering or distractions from a life of misery. Some songs openly called for liberty and revolution, celebrating such heroes as Gabriel Prosser and Nat Turner and celebrating especially the Haitian Revolution.
The Songs of Slavery and Emancipation book and CD are available for pre-order:
CD and digital album
Book
More info
Songs of Slavery and Emancipation
Film Screening, Book Launch and CD Release
Saturday, June 18, 6 pm ET
The People’s Forum
320 West 37th Street (between 8th & 9th Avenues)
New York, NY 10018
The Program
6:00 pm Doors open
6:30 pm Film Screening
7:30 pm Short Intermission
8:00–9:30 pm Concert
Sponsors
Art in History and Politics, The Rosa Luxembourg Foundation, Jalopy Records, University Press of Mississippi and the National Abolition Hall of Fame and Museum, Peterboro, NY
For more information contact: info@arthistorypolitics.com.
