Spirits that Dwell in Deep Woods

Book excerpt: Revealing the fascinating body of hymnal work that flourished in Southern communities populated by the children of slaves between 1885 and 1925, this stirring collection of spiritual songs sheds light on a vanished era. While these hymns owe much to their rural Southern origin, they are distinct from traditional gospel, borrowing heavily from the oral storytelling tradition of the region and possessing a rousing, repetitive nature. Twenty-four hymns from this underappreciated era in African American music are included, along with an extensive analysis of each work, providing a rare look into a pivotal generation of church music.