Gullah Spirituals

The Sound of Freedom and Protest in the South Carolina Sea Islands

De: Eric Sean Crawford

Narrado por: Korey Jackson

In Gullah Spirituals musicologist Eric Crawford traces Gullah Geechee songs from their beginnings in West Africa to their height as songs for social change and Black identity in the 20th-century American South. While much has been done to study, preserve, and interpret Gullah culture in the Low Country and sea islands of South Carolina and Georgia, some traditions like the shouting and rowing songs have been all but forgotten. This work, which focuses primarily on South Carolina's St. Helena Island, illuminates the remarkable history, survival, and influence of spirituals since the earliest recordings in the 1860s.

Grounded in an oral tradition with a dynamic and evolving character, spirituals proved equally adaptable for use during social and political unrest and in unlikely circumstances. Most notably, the island's songs were used at the turn of the century to help rally support for the United States' involvement in World War I and to calm racial tensions between Black and White soldiers. In the 1960s, civil rights activists adopted spirituals as freedom songs, though many were unaware of their connection to the island.

Gullah Spirituals uses fieldwork, personal recordings, and oral interviews to build upon earlier studies. Through this work, Crawford hopes to restore the cultural memory lost to time while tracing the long arc and historical significance of the St. Helena spirituals.

©2021 Eric Sean Crawford (P)2021 Recorded Books

Interesting

This is a very good introduction to Gullah music and worship practices. It makes me want to learn more.

Affirming

I was completely blown away by just how impactful singing is in the African American community. From reconstruction to both world wars. How much language and other cultural material is preserved in song. Easy to listen to, great read.