In an interview with Mr. George Johnson, Mound Bayou, Mississippi, September 1941, he was asked if he recalled hearing any songs being sung in the field. Johnson may not a field worker. Maybe based on his age during slavery. When Johnson sang the song, as he recalled hearing it, I could feel something in his voice. For me, it was a moving experience. Perhaps you think differently.


The song is actually not a slave song but was written by a white man, Stephen Foster, in 1853/1860. Foster wrote the fictitious song based on encounters he had with blacks from that time period. Its been covered by artists from Paul Robeson, to Bing Crosby and Jerry Lee Lewis.


The song, obviously, means different things to different people. Johnson associates it with his time as a slave.

#blackhistorymonth #slavesongs #slavery

Original recordings at the Library of Congress.