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Lesson

Before the Blues: From Africa to America

Listen What I Gotta Say: Women in the Blues (6th–8th) / Before the Blues: From Africa to America

Lesson Paths & Learning Objectives

  1. West African Connections

    • Identify some of the musical practices found in the blues that can be traced to West African music traditions.
    • Approx. 30 minutes

  2. Ring Shouts

    • Explain some of the main features of ring shouts (a precursor to the blues)
    • Describe connections between ring shouts and West African music traditions
    • Approx. 30 minutes

  3. Field Hollers

    • Explain some of the main features of field hollers
    • Identify some of the musical practices found in field hollers that are also found in the blues
    • Actively engage with field hollers through performance
    • Approx. 30 minutes

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Bibliography

Text

Allen, William Francis, Charles Pickard Ware and Lucy McKim Garrison, eds. 1995 [1867]. Slave Songs of the United States. New York City, NY: Dover Publications.

Charters, Samuel. 1972. Roots of Black Music in America, liner notes. New York City, NY: Folkways Records, FW02694.

Courlander, Harold. 1951. Negro Folk Music of Alabama, Vol. 1: Secular Music, liner notes. New York City, NY: Folkways Records, FW04417.

Kubik, Gerhard. 1999. Africa and the Blues. Jackson, MS: University Press of Mississippi.

Parrish, Lydia. 1992 [1942]. Slave Songs of the Georgia Sea Islands. Athens, GA: University of Georgia Press.

Rosenbaum, Art. 1984. Slave Shout Songs from the Coast of Georgia, by The McIntosh County Shouters, liner notes. New York City, NY: Folkways Records, FW04344.

Rosenbaum, Art, Freddie Palmer, Carletha Sullivan and Brenton Jordan. 2017. Spirituals and Shout Songs from the Georgia Coast, by The McIntosh County Shouters, liner notes. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, SFW40214.

Waterman, Richard and Harold Courlander. 1951. Negro Folk Music of Africa and America, liner notes. New York City, NY: Folkways Records, FW04500.

Welding, Pete. 1969. Mississippi Delta Blues Jam in Memphis, Vol. 1, liner notes. El Cerrito, CA: Arhoolie Records, FW04500.

Audio*

Smith, Bessie. "A Good Man Is Hard to Find." Eddie Green, composer. On The Complete Recordings, Vol. 3, recorded 1927. New York City, NY: Columbia Records, C2K 47474, 1992, streaming audio. Streaming audio remastered from original 78 rpm Columbia – 14250-D by Sony Music Entertainment.

Big Mama Thornton. "Session Blues." On In Europe, recorded 1965. El Cerrito, CA: Arhoolie Records, ARH09056_108, 2005, streaming audio.

Jackson, John. "Steamboat whistle." On Country Blues & Ditties, recorded 1968. El Cerrito, CA: Arhoolie Records, ARH00471_109, 1999, streaming audio.

Professional male Wolof entertainer. "Ndei Kumba ("Mother Petticoat")." David Ames, recorder. On Wolof Music of Senegal and the Gambia. New York City, NY: Folkways Records, FW04462_202, 1955, streaming audio. Recorded by David Ames.

Three Lunsi drummers in Accra. "Harvest Songs – Rhythm While the Priest Pours Libations." On Music of the Dagomba from Ghana. New York City, NY: Folkways Records, FW04324_102, 1978, streaming audio. Recorded by Verna Gillis.

Wieh, Jon. "Bassa Musical Bow." On Folk Music of Liberia. New York City, NY: Folkways Records, FW04465_104, 1954, streaming audio. Recorded by Packard L. Okie.

Two professional Wolof entertainers. "Tara (Traditional Song)." On Wolof Music of Senegal and the Gambia. New York City, NY: Folkways Records, FW04462_105, 1955, streaming audio. Recorded by David Ames.

The McIntosh County Shouters. "Jubilee." On Spirituals and Shout Songs from the Georgia Coast, recorded 2017. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, SFW40214_101, 2017, streaming audio.

Dodson, Annie Grace Horn. "Field Call." On Negro Folk Music of Alabama, Vol. 1: Secular Music, recorded 1950. New York City, NY: Folkways Records, FW04417_205, 1951, streaming audio.

Dodson, Annie Grace Horn. "Greeting Call." On Negro Folk Music of Alabama, Vol. 1: Secular Music, recorded 1950. New York City, NY: Folkways Records, FW04417_208, 1951, streaming audio.

Video*

Smithsonian Folkways Recordings. McIntosh Country Shouters - 'Spirituals and Shout Songs' [Behind The Scenes Documentary]. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, 2017. Video. Posted by Smithsonian Folkways Recordings.

Smithsonian Folkways Recordings. Jubilee' by the McIntosh County Shouters. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, 2017. Video. Posted by Smithsonian Folkways Recordings.

Images*

Bearden, Romare. Empress of the Blues, 1974, acrylic and pencil on paper. Washington, DC: Smithsonian American Art Museum. Museum purchase in part through the Luisita L. and Franz H. Denghausen Endowment.

Wilson, Ellis. Field Workers, ca. 1948-1951, oil on fiberboard: Masonite. Washington, DC: Smithsonian American Art Museum, 29 3/4 x 34 7/8 in. (75.5 x 88.6 cm.). Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the Harmon Foundation.

Cottingham, Robert. Blues, 1989, color aquatint on paper. Washington, DC: Smithsonian American Art Museum. Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of an anonymous donor.

Wangboje, Solomon Irein. The Music Maker - Mood V, 1965, linocut on paper. Washington, DC: Smithsonian National Museum of African Art, 36.2 x 29.8 cm (14 1/4 x 11 3/4 in.). Gift of Amb. and Mrs. Benjamin Hill Brown Jr.

Baird, Auguste Francois. Slave-Trade, after 1863, lithograph. Washington, DC: National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution. Harry T. Peters America on Stone Lithography Collection.

Maultsby, Portia K. "The Evolution of African American Music," 1980, digital image. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Folkways Recordings. ©1980 Portia K. Maultsby, PhD. Revised 1992, 1995, 2004, 2008, 2020, 2022, 2023. All Rights Reserved. Adapted for Smithsonian Music Pathways by Kamaryn Truong.

Nalangan, Danielle. "State Drawings," 2023, digital graphic. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Folkways Recordings.

Fitzgerald, Peter. "West Africa Regions Map," 2008, digital image.

Ames, David. "Wolof Naming Ceremony," photograph. In Wolof Music from Senegal and the Gambia. New York City, NY: Folkways Records, 1955, p. 2.

Gillis, Verna. "Doalga Drum in Village of Nanton," photograph. In Music of the Dagomba in Ghana. New York City, NY: Folkways Records, 1978, p. 1.

Unknown photographer. "Musician Playing a Musical Bow," ca. 1939, photograph. In African music, Laura C. Boulton, recorder. New York City, NY: Folkways Records, 1957, p. 9. Photos courtesy of the Field Museum of Natural History.

Ames, David. "Gewel Playing Halam," photograph. In Wolof Music of Senegal and the Gambia. New York City, NY: Folkways Records, 1955, p. 4.

Visual Dialogue. Spirituals and Shout Songs from the Georgia Coast, by the McIntosh County Shouters. Daniel Sheehy, photographer. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, 2017, album cover.

Rosembaum, Margo Newmark. "The McIntosh County Shouters performing the ring shout in the Bolden Home Lodge," 2015, photograph. In Spirituals and Shout Songs from the Georgia Coast. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, 2017, p. 4.

Rosembaum, Margo Newmark. "Watch That Star'--The McIntosh County Shouters at the 1981 National Folk Festival, Wolf Trap Farm, Virginia," 1981, photograph. In Slave Shout Songs from the Coast of Georgia. New York City, NY: Folkways Records, 1984, p. 1.

Rosembaum, Margo Newmark. "McIntosh County Shouters 1994," photograph. In Spirituals and Shout Songs from the Georgia Coast. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, 2017, p. 13.

Nalangan, Danielle. "Illustration of Ear," 2023, digital graphic. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Folkways Recordings.

Benton, Thomas Hart. Field Workers (Cotton Pickers), 1945, oil on canvas. Washington, DC: Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Smithsonian Institution, 8 3/4 x 13 1/2 in. (22.2 x 34.3 cm). Gift of Joseph H. Hirshhorn, 1966.

Courlander, Harold. "Annie Grace Horn Dodson," 1955, photograph. In Negro Folk Music of Alabama, Vol. 6: Ring Game Songs and Others. New York City, NY: Folkways Records, p. 7.

Mauzey, Merritt. Cotton Pickers, n.d., lithograph on paper. Washington, DC: Smithsonian American Art Museum, 12 5/8 x 14 1/4 in. (32.1 x 36.4 cm). Gift of the artist in memory of his wife, Maggie.

Anderson, Henry Clay. "Copy Work, Photo of Workers in the Field on Drew Plantation," 1948 - 1970s, silver and photographic gelatin on acetate film. Washington, DC: National Museum of African American History and Culture, Smithsonian Institution.

Nalangan, Danielle. "LP Illustration," 2023, digital graphic. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Folkways Recordings.

Möller, A. W. "No. 44, Weighing Cotton," ca. 1895, albumen and silver on paper mounted on cardboard. Washington, DC: National Museum of African American History and Culture, Smithsonian Institution. Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Norman and Sandra Lindley.

* Audio, video, and images listed in order of slideshow sequence.