Wade In The Water Ep. 3: Steal Away, Songs & Stories About Slavery

Published June 20, 2019 at 8:24 AM CDT

Jessye Norman rehearsing with the BBC Symphony Orchestra for the first night of The Proms at the BBC's Maida Vale Studio, London.

Wade in the Water is a 26-part series, originally released in 1994, that celebrates African American sacred music and traditions. To learn more about the series, click here . For more episodes click here or listen on the go with the NPR One app.

African American oral tradition rich with memories, testimonies and songs from the hard days of 19th century slavery.

Song List

Jessye Norman, "Steal Away"

Sweet Honey in the Rock, "Wade in the Water"

Bernice Johnson Reagon, "O Freedom" (NPR Recording)

Princely Players, "Roll, Jordan, Roll" (NPR Recording)

Jessye Norman, "Steal Away"

McIntosh County Shouters

Ebenezer Baptist Church, "Old Ship of Zion" (NPR Recording)

Kehembe (Valerie) Eichelberger, "Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child"

Odetta, "Joshua"

Sweet Honey in the Rock, "I Got Shoes"

Georgia Sea Island Singers, "Reg'lar, Reg'lar, Rollin' Under"

In Process, "Follow the Drinking Gourd"

Fannie Lou Hamer, "Run Mourner, Run"

Sweet Honey in the Rock, "Run Mourner Run"

Sweet Honey in the Rock, "I Couldn't Hear Nobody Pray"

Sweet Honey in the Rock, "Wade in the Water"

Wade in the Water was produced by Judi Moore Latta and Sonja Williams.

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