Wade in the Water celebrates the spirituals both as art form and as unique and powerful cultural expression. Exploring the African roots of the spirituals, Jones explores the way the songs conceal a language of freedom and resistance, and the way that their spiritual consolation reinforces community solidarity. First published in 1993, this new edition traces the rediscovery and transmission of this tradition and its meaning for a new generation and new challenges.
Wade in the Water celebrates the spirituals both as art form and as unique and powerful cultural expression. Exploring the African roots of the spirituals, Jones explores the way the songs conceal a language of freedom and resistance, and the way that their spiritual consolation reinforces community solidarity. First published in 1993, this new edition traces the rediscovery and transmission of this tradition and its meaning for a new generation and new challenges.