SPIRITUALS PROJECT

In 1998, The Spirituals Project (SP) was founded to preserve and revitalize the music and teachings of the sacred folk songs called “spirituals,” created and first sung by enslaved Africans in America in the 18th and 19th centuries. In 2016-2017, we outlined a strategic vision and preliminary five-year plan. The strategic plan focuses in four areas: Research, Education, Activism and Performance.

In collaboration with the Office of Teaching and Learning, the SP developed Sweet Chariot: The Story of the Spirituals, a comprehensive multimedia educational website for use in courses, and for anyone interested in learning about the history and ongoing influences of the spirituals. The Sweet Chariot website includes an extensive historical overview, explorations of the evolving cultural and musical contexts of the spirituals, sound clips of songs, excerpts of interviews with artists, composers and community workers, and links to library and internet resources for those interested in further study.

We also host several concerts throughout the year. One tradition of the spirituals are the slave songs themselves, historically sung in solitude, while working, or/and communally. Another is the concertized versions of the spirituals. The Choir consists of singers of all ages and backgrounds with varying degrees of musical experience.

Spirituals Project Website   View Choir Schedule    5 Year Plan