In July 2025, there was a series of five free Water Music New York: More Voices festivals in upstate New York. The final day, in Saratoga County, concluded with an Albany Symphony Orchestra concert that” featured the world premiere of a composition by Daniel Bernard Roumain, inspired by the legacy and life of Solomon Northup.”
There were several preliminary activities, including Songs of Freedom with the Underground Railroad Education Center. Frankly, I don’t recall what tunes were actually sung that day, but they picked from a selection that included:
By The Waters Of Babylon; here’s a text
Keep Your Eyes On The Prize (text, music)
His Dream Is Living On (Battle Hymn of the Republic)
Soldiers for Freedom (We Are Climbing Jacob’s Ladder
It’s frankly weird that these songs are still relevant in the struggle for equality.
My favorite song in the genre this century is Mavis Staples’ 99 and 1/2
