Wade in the water

Harriet Tubman was a conductor for the Underground Railroad and led freedom seekers to safety. Learn more about her Civil War service and activism.

Originally sung by slaves, the spiritual became a jazz hit in the 1960s

“Between 1840 and 1860, before the American Civil War, enslaved Africans followed the North Star on the Underground Railroad to find freedom in Canada. It was not an actual railroad but a sec…

The songs were a byproduct of slavery in the U.S. But after being passed along by generations of African-American musicians, they were later embraced by a variety of improvisers, including Sister Rosetta Tharpe, Grant Green and John Coltrane.

Alvin Ailey's Revelations - Section 1: Pilgrim of Sorrow Alvin Ailey's Revelations - Section 2: Take Me To The Water Alvin Ailey's Revelations - Section 3: Move, Members, Move! Revelations is the signature choreographic work of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. It was first produced by Alvin Ailey Dance Theater in New York City, New York on January 31, 1960. Revelations tells the story of African-American faith and tenacity from slavery to freedom through a suite of dances set to…

Outdoor baptisms were once common in the rivers and deltas of the South. However, many churches are now baptizing people using indoor pools. Long before the existence of indoor pools for baptisms, people would gather on a Sunday morning at a chosen lake or river, pray, sing, and baptize those seeking salvation. It sometimes could be as many ...