Lecture on Spirituals

The Vineyard Haven Public Library hosts James Thomas, founding president of the U.S. Slave Song Project, to speak on the history and interpretation of spirituals, on Tuesday, June 10, at 6:30 p.m.

Mr. Thomas will be joined by members of the choir that he directs. From modest beginnings, the U.S. Slave Song Project has become a living national resource which keeps alive the songs and stories that not only were a comfort and source of enjoyment to enslaved people, but also a clandestine means of communication. Mr. Thomas also is an authority on the deeper meanings hidden in the apparently simple songs of the slavery times.

For details, call 508-696-4211.