African Diaspora at Internet Archive: American Negro Spirituals

As promised yesterday, here is a monumentally important book in the documentation of African American music traditions: The Books of American Negro Spirituals by James Weldon Johnson and J. Rosamond Johnson (which combines the original two books published in 1925 and 1926):

To find out more about the achievements of James Weldon Johnson, you can also find this book at the Archive: The Essential Writings of James Weldon Johnson, and here's the Wikipedia article about him: James Weldon Johnson. His brother J. Rosamond Johnson also has a Wikipedia article.

And look at this. Or, rather, LISTEN to this: an old 78 recording which you can play at the Archive: Lift Every Voice and Sing as performed by The Southern Sons:

This song by the brothers Johnson has an article of its own at Wikipedia too: Lift Every Voice and Sing.

Ready for more? Here is a link to all of James Weldon Johnson's books at the Archive. So much goodness, and all just a click away!

The Books of American Negro Spirituals

by James Weldon Johnson and J. Rosamond Johnson 

The Essential Writings of James Weldon Johnson