Michael L. Cooper

This book describes how oppressed people created some of the world's most moving music.

Many slave spirituals—songs such as “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot,” “Michael, Row the Boat Ashore,” and “Go Down, Moses”—have become interwoven into the fabric of American culture. For centuries these deeply moving songs were sung by slaves as they worked in the fields. In 1871, six years after the end of slavery, a group from Fisk University known as the Jubilee Singers toured the United States and abroad, raising money for their bankrupt school and, more important, bringing slave spirituals to the attention of a wide audience. This engrossing account, illustrated with archival prints and photographs and appended with the words and music to seven songs, tells the inspiring story of the Jubilee Singers and reveals spirituals to be an invaluable and unique history of American slavery.

This is a great letter from a reader, whose name I've omitted, to my editor at Clarion Books in New York.


August 2006

To the editor:

Yesterday I had the opportunity to read in its entirety SLAVE SPIRITUALS AND THE JUBILEE SINGERS by Michael L. Cooper. Now I feel the pull to pause in the day's occupation to share my reaction.

This is a book that is well written. And it is chock-full of information. Yet it does not feel at all weighty. Nor does it take a heavy stand on slavery. It just states the case. And so, it is a book that shines in its own way like a song.

I feel fortunate to have stumbled upon it. I thank Mr. Cooper for writing and I thank you for publishing this informative and beautiful book. And I would appreciate your passing my letter on to him.

Very sincerely yours,


San Marino, California