Alabama’s African-American Folklore, Folk Songs and Spirituals

Alabama’s African-American Folklore, Folk Songs and Spirituals will be the focus of an exhibit and public presentation held at the historic 1833 Old State Bank on Sunday, October 18, 2009 at 2:00 PM. This program is a part of Decatur’s “Big Read” exploration of Harper Lee’s classic novel To Kill a Mockingbird.

Dr. Alan Brown of the University of West Alabama will speak on the six different types of songs (field calls, spirituals, field blues, play party/ring game songs, work songs and lullabies) collected by ethnomusicologists in the 20th century. The discussion will center on the inspiration and original functions for these songs, as well as how this has changed through the years. Brown is also the creator of the exhibit, Ruby Pickens Tartt: An Alabama Original , which will be on display in the Old Bank. Tartt dedicated her entire life to documenting and preserving African-American folklore and folk songs. Historians and folklorists state that without the work of Miss Tartt, “the wit and wisdom of an entire generation of Black geniuses would have been lost forever.” This free public program and exhibit is made possible through the support of the Alabama Humanities Foundation as the Old Bank joins in the celebration of “Mockingbird Month!”