Slave Songs of the United States
First published in 1867, Slave Songs of the United States represents the work of its three editors, all of whom collected and annotated these songs while working in the Sea Islands of South Carolina during the Civil War, and also of other collectors who transcribed songs sung by former slaves in other parts of the country. The transcriptions are preceded by an introduction written by William Francis Allen, the chief editor of the collection, who provides his own explanation of the origin of the songs and the circumstances under which they were sung. One critic has noted that, like the editors' introductions to slave narratives, Allen's introduction seeks to lend to slave expressions the honor of white authority and approval. Gathered during and after the Civil War, the songs, most of which are religious, reflect the time of slavery, and their collectors worried that they were beginning to disappear. Allen declares the editors' purpose to be to preserve, "while it is still possible . . . these relics of a state of society which has passed away."

A DOCSOUTH BOOK. This collaboration between UNC Press and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Library brings classic works from the digital library of Documenting the American South back into print. DocSouth Books uses the latest digital technologies to make these works available in paperback and e-book formats. Each book contains a short summary and is otherwise unaltered from the original publication. DocSouth Books provide affordable and easily accessible editions to a new generation of scholars, students, and general readers.
"1116766600"
Slave Songs of the United States
First published in 1867, Slave Songs of the United States represents the work of its three editors, all of whom collected and annotated these songs while working in the Sea Islands of South Carolina during the Civil War, and also of other collectors who transcribed songs sung by former slaves in other parts of the country. The transcriptions are preceded by an introduction written by William Francis Allen, the chief editor of the collection, who provides his own explanation of the origin of the songs and the circumstances under which they were sung. One critic has noted that, like the editors' introductions to slave narratives, Allen's introduction seeks to lend to slave expressions the honor of white authority and approval. Gathered during and after the Civil War, the songs, most of which are religious, reflect the time of slavery, and their collectors worried that they were beginning to disappear. Allen declares the editors' purpose to be to preserve, "while it is still possible . . . these relics of a state of society which has passed away."

A DOCSOUTH BOOK. This collaboration between UNC Press and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Library brings classic works from the digital library of Documenting the American South back into print. DocSouth Books uses the latest digital technologies to make these works available in paperback and e-book formats. Each book contains a short summary and is otherwise unaltered from the original publication. DocSouth Books provide affordable and easily accessible editions to a new generation of scholars, students, and general readers.
29.95 In Stock
Slave Songs of the United States

Slave Songs of the United States

Slave Songs of the United States

Slave Songs of the United States

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Overview

First published in 1867, Slave Songs of the United States represents the work of its three editors, all of whom collected and annotated these songs while working in the Sea Islands of South Carolina during the Civil War, and also of other collectors who transcribed songs sung by former slaves in other parts of the country. The transcriptions are preceded by an introduction written by William Francis Allen, the chief editor of the collection, who provides his own explanation of the origin of the songs and the circumstances under which they were sung. One critic has noted that, like the editors' introductions to slave narratives, Allen's introduction seeks to lend to slave expressions the honor of white authority and approval. Gathered during and after the Civil War, the songs, most of which are religious, reflect the time of slavery, and their collectors worried that they were beginning to disappear. Allen declares the editors' purpose to be to preserve, "while it is still possible . . . these relics of a state of society which has passed away."

A DOCSOUTH BOOK. This collaboration between UNC Press and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Library brings classic works from the digital library of Documenting the American South back into print. DocSouth Books uses the latest digital technologies to make these works available in paperback and e-book formats. Each book contains a short summary and is otherwise unaltered from the original publication. DocSouth Books provide affordable and easily accessible editions to a new generation of scholars, students, and general readers.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780807869499
Publisher: UNC at Chapel Hill Library
Publication date: 09/01/2011
Series: Docsouth Books
Edition description: 1
Pages: 224
Product dimensions: 5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.60(d)

About the Author

William Francis Allen, the chief editor and author of the introduction to Slave Songs of the United States, was born in Massachusetts in 1830, studied at Harvard and in Europe, worked for the Freedmen's Aid Commission on St. Helena Island, South Carolina, during the Civil War, and after the war became chair of ancient languages at the University of Wisconsin at Madison.

Like his cousin William Francis Allen, Charles Pickard Ware took part in wartime educational initiatives in the Sea Islands of South Carolina; more of the transcriptions in the volume are Ware's than any other editor's.

Lucy McKim Garrison grew up among reformers in mid-nineteenth century Philadelphia, worked on the New York Nation with her husband Wendell Garrison, son of William Lloyd Garrison, and initiated the project of collecting and annotating slave songs in the Sea Islands during the Civil War.

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION
DIRECTIONS FOR SINGING
PART I.
"South-Eastern Slave States, including South Carolina, Georgia and the Sea Islands"
1 "Roll, Jordan, roll"
2 "Jehova, Hallelujah"
3 I hear from Heaven to-day
4 "Blow your trumpet , Gabriel"
5 "Praise, Member"
6 "Wrestle on, Jacob"
7 The Lonesome Valley
8 I can't stay behind
9 Poor Rosy
10 The Trouble of the World
11 There's a meeting here to-night
12 Hold your light
13 Happy Morning
14 No man can hinder me
15 "Lord, remember me"
16 Not weary yet
17 Religion so sweet
18 Hunting for the Lord
19 Go in the Wilderness
20 Tell my Jesus
21 The Graveyard
22 "John, John, of the Holy Order"
23 I saw the beam in my sister's eye
24 Hunting for a city
25 Gwine follow
26 Lay this body down
27 Heaven Bell a-ring
28 Jine'em
29 Rain fall and wet Becca Lawton
30 Bound to go
31 Michael row the boad ashore
32 "Sail, O believer"
33 Rock o' Jubilee
34 Stars begin to fall
35 King Emanuel
36 Satan's Camp A-fire
37 Give up the world
38 Jesus on the Waterside
39 I wish I been dere
40 Build a house in Paradise
41 I know when I'm going hme
42 I'm a trouble in de mind
43 Travel on
44 "Archangel, open the door"
45 My body rock 'long fever'
46 Bell da ring
47 Pray all de member
48 "Turn sinner, turn O"
49 My army cross over
50 Join the angel band
51 I and Satan had a race
52 Shall I die?
53 When we do meet again
54 The White Marlble Stone
55 I can't stand the fire
56 "Meet, O Lord"
57 "Wa', Mr. Mackright "
58 Early in the morning
59 "Hail, Mary"
60 No more rain fall for wet you
61 I want to go home
62 "Good-bye, brother"
63 Fare ye well
64 Many thousand go
65 Brother Moses gone
66 The Sin-stick Soul
67 Some Valiant Soldier
68 "Hallelu, Hallelu"
69 Children do linger
70 Good-bye
71 "Lord, make me more patient"
72 The Day of Judgment
73 The Resurrection Morn
74 Nobody knows the trouble I've had
75 Who is on the Lord's side
76 Hold out to the end
77 Come go with me
78 Every hour in the day
79 In the mansions above
80 "Shout on, children"
81 "Jesus, won't you come by-and-by?"
82 Heave away
PART II.
"Northern Seaboard Slave States, including Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina"
83 "Wake up, Jacob"
84 On to Glory
85 Just Now
86 "Shock along, John"
87 "Round the corn, Sally"
88 Jordan's Mills
89 Sabbath has no end
90 I don't feel Weary
91 The Hypocrite and the concubine
92 O shout away
93 O'er the crossing
94 Rock o' my soul
95 We will march thro' the valley
96 What a trying time
97 Almost Over
98 "Don't be weary, traveler"
99 Let God's saints come in
100 The Golden Altar
101 The Winter
102 The Heaven Bells
PART III.
"Inland Slave States, including Tennessee, Arkansas, and the Mississippi"
103 The Gold Band
104 The Good Old Way
105 I'm going home
106 Sinner won't die no more
107 "Brother, guide me home"
108 "Little children, then won't you be glad?"
109 Charleston Gals
110 "Run, nigger, run"
111 I'm gwine to Alabamy
PART IV.
"Gulf States, including Florida and Louisiana: Miscellaneous"
112 "My Father, how long?"
113 I'm in trouble
114 O Daniel
115 "O brother, don't get weary"
116 I want to join the band
117 Jacob's Ladder
118 Pray on
119 "Good news, Member"
120 I want to die like-a Lazarus die
121 Away down in Sunbury
122 This is the trouble of the world
123 Lean on the Lord's side
124 These are all my father's children
125 The Old Ship of Zion
126 "Come along, Moses"
127 The Social Band
128 God got plenty o' room
129 You must be pure and holy
130 Belle Layotte
131 Remon
132 Aurore Bradaire
133 Caroline
134 Calinda
135 Lolotte
136 Musieu Bainjo
EDITORS' NOTE
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