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With the advent and explosion of contemporary Gospel music on the scene, Negro spirituals have been on the decline. One local group that’s trying to keep them alive is Friends of Negro Spirituals, based in Oakland. KALW’s Hana Baba sat down with co-founders Sam Edwards and Lyvonne Chrisman to find out what inspired them to reach back into history and preserve this unique art form.
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Broadcast History
KALW 91.7 FM:
January 13, 2011
Transcript
African slaves working in the American South in the 18th and 19th century had their way of dealing with their daily strife – it came through in the songs they sang and hummed. Whether in the cotton fields or crowded together in tiny shacks, the slaves sang inspirational tunes – spirituals – that kept them moving on.
They sang about their motherland, they sang about a better day, and they sang about freedom. Many music historians consider these songs to be the first uniquely American folksong form.
But, with the advent and explosion of contemporary Gospel music on the scene, Negro spirituals have been on the decline. One local group that’s trying to keep them alive is Friends of Negro Spirituals, based in Oakland. KALW’s Hana Baba sat down with co-founders Sam Edwards and Lyvonne Chrisman to find out what inspired them to reach back into history and preserve this unique art form.
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