Name: ______Date:______Period:______

Slave Narratives/Spirituals

We learned earlier this year about Native American myths that were transmitted from one generation to the next through the oral tradition. In more modern times, we call a person’s own history an oral history if it is not written down, such as in a memoir or autobiography. Slaves were generally not literate and did not record their own stories. These oral histories have been preserved for us, so that we may have a greater understanding of the impact of slavery.

These narratives are transcribed to reflect the authentic voices of the storytellers. Therefore, they are written in dialect. Dialect can be hard to read, but not impossible. Read it as if you are reading phonetic (sound) spelling.

Directions:

You will be given a narrative/spiritual to read and study. Read carefully and for understanding. This may take several readings. You will be filling out a chart that asks for specific details. This chart becomes the basis for your presentation to the class. You have one day only to read and research, no this is not a group project. Be prepared to present what you have learned to the class on the second day.

  1. Go online to find the site for this part http://xroads.virginia.edu/~HYPER/wpa/wpahome.html
  2. Click on the annotated list of narratives: http://xroads.virginia.edu/~hyper/wpa/index.html
  3. Go online to find the site for this part http://www.negrospirituals.com/composers.htm
  4. http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/en/article/robert-nathaniel-dett/
  5. http://www.blackpast.org/aah/johnson-francis-hall-1888-1970
  6. http://www.blackpast.org/aah/dawson-william-levi-1898-1990
  7. http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/arts-culture/georgia-tom-dorsey-1899-1993
  8. http://ww2.tnstate.edu/library/digital/work.htm - John W. Work III
  9. http://www.fiskjubileesingers.org/about.html
  10. http://www.tuskegee.edu/student_life/student_organizations/choir/choir_history.aspx
  11. Find the narrative/spiritual you were assigned.
  12. Read carefully and record details on the chart. This document will be handed in for a grade. (Open a digital copy from y my website. Choose Save; Save it in your P drive. Then click open and you are ready to begin working on the document.)
  13. Share what you have learned from reading this narrative with the class. Use your chart to guide you.


Slave Narratives/Spirituals

Name of storyteller/singer/composer: / Interviewed and transcribed by whom:
A brief biography:
Four major/interesting details of the narrative/biography that you will share with the class:
1. / 2.
3. / 4.

Charles Albert TINDLEY Harry Thacker BURLEIGH

John Rosamond JOHNSON (Robert) Nathaniel DETT

(Francis) Hall JOHNSON Edward BOATNER

William Levi DAWSON Thomas Andrew DORSEY

John W. WORK III Moses George HOGAN

Charity ANDERSON Walter CALLOWAY

Emma CROCKETT Lucinda DAVIS

Tempe Herndon DURHAM Clayton HOLBERT

Ms. HOLMES Joseph HOLMES

Ben HORRY Fountain HUGHES

Maria JACKSON Mary REYNOLDS

Richard TOLER Roland HAYES

FISK Jubilee Singers TUSKEGEE Institute Choir

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