Historian Connie Martin explains the connections of plantation songs, or Negro Spirituals with meanings and interpretations of lyrics that aided enslaved people to find freedom.
Powerful, sacred songs that derived from the heart of the antebellum enslaved African were melodic outflowings of religious expression, passion, and the hope to be free. Negro spirituals, as originated in America, tell of sorrow, trials and tribulations, secrecy and hiding, and hope for a sense of community.
Martin, a sixth-generation descendant of captured slaves, uses oral history and the arts to tell the stories of how enslaved people sought freedom and hope through the Underground Railroad.
The Main Library is located in downtown Mount Prospect, next to Village Hall. The building houses an extensive collection of materials, spaces for quiet and collaborative work, several program rooms, public computers, a dedicated teen space, and engaging play area for children.
For a comprehensive list of all services available at the Main Library, please visit the library website.
