Underground Railroad Spirituals at Millburn Library

The Millburn Free Public Library is pleased to welcome Hilliard Greene to present "Milestone Negro Spirituals: When Folksongs Bring Freedom" on Saturday, March 23, 2019 at 2:00pm in the auditorium.

This performance/workshop in words and music brings to light the significance and beauty of the remarkable songs associated with the Underground Railroad., a network of secret routes and safe houses used by 19th-century enslaved people of African descent in their efforts to escape to free states and to Canada. These uniquely American heritage songs are recognized as a distinct musical genre.

Hilliard Greene is acclaimed for composing and performing solo contrabass music. His tours have taken him throughout North and South America, Europe, and Asia. Former musical director for jazz vocalist Jimmy Scott, he is the leader of The Jazz Expressions and member of the Zigzag Quartet. The music that will be featured is based on the coded Negro spirituals that runaway slaves used to elude capture. Selections will include: Swing Low Sweet Chariot, Wade In The Water, Deep River, Go Down Moses, Michael Row De Boat Ashore,I Couldn’t Hear Nobody Pray.

This program is free and open to all and is sponsored by the Friends of the Millburn Library. The Millburn Library is located at 200 Glen Ave., Millburn, NJ 07041 and can be reached at 973-376-1006.