Songs of Slavery and Emancipation: A Documentary Film

This film tells of the discovery of a long-lost revolutionary slave song and the odyssey that led to its recording. Along the way more songs were discovered as were the songs of the abolitionist movement. Meeting the musicians and educators who joined the effort to bring these songs to life is vividly recalled in this stirring documentary. More than fifty musicians from many parts of the country are shown as they rehearse and perform songs that have not been heard for more than one hundred years.

A bit more background: Songs of Slavery and Emancipation is a collection of songs composed and sung by slaves either preparing or commemorating revolt. To this collection is added the songs of the abolitionist movement dedicated to the eradication of the slave system. Many of the abolitionist songs were composed by fugitive slaves or free black people and were widely disseminated in the Northern States between the American Revolution and the Civil War. To bring these songs to life, we have chosen a representative sample, arranged musical accompaniment and made recordings. The result is a musical and historical document available for the first time to the general public. What began in 2015 with the discovery of a song composed by slaves planning an insurrection in 1813 has come to fruition with two hours of recorded music.