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A multimedia presentation on the history and development of African American Spirituals presented by music historians Charlie & Pamela Horner, as part of the Grand Jubilee Celebration honoring the 150th Anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation.

On January 1, 1863, President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation marked the beginning of the end of slavery in the U.S..

In 1871, the Fisk University Jubilee Singers left Nashville on a series of tours to raise funds for their impoverished school. The group was made up of former slaves and descendents of former slaves. They battled prejudice and oppression, as well as the hardships of the road. But through their perseverance, sang their way into the hearts of the nation and the world.

Our 2013 salute to the Grand Jubilee features a multimedia presentation by noted musicologists Charlie and Pamela Horner. Their presentation will include a brief analysis of the importance of spirituals during slavery, including their use in religious celebrations, communication and their sometimes secret messages in lyric as well as the story of the Fisk Jubilee Singers. It will also touch on the use of Black Spiritual quartets in theatrical productions in the late 19th and early 20th Centuries. Finally, it will cover the evolution of Spirituals through modern times and the influence of Spirituals on our American musical heritage.

Music historians Charlie & Pamela Horner’s 40+ years of research have allowed them to interview hundreds of singers. You’ll hear personal stories, view rare photos of groups, flyers, songbooks and records, and listen to music clips from Charlie’s and Pam's huge archive of records, photographs, posters, flyers, songbooks, sheet music and other memorabilia.

This program is sponsored by The Franklin Township Public Library and presented by Classic Urban Harmony LLC, and the Franklin Township Cultural Arts Council. Registration is required.