Children's Songs - African American
Adventures in Rhythm
Ella Jenkins
1989 Smithsonian/Folkways Recordings
Available from Smithsonian/Folkways Recordings
ISBN# 0-93074-50074
This collection of rhythms and songs with strong rhythmic backgrounds
is designed as a resource for teachers in teaching rhythms. Most of the
songs come from the African American tradition. Lyrics and background information
are provided in an accompanying booklet.
I Got Shoes
Sweet Honey in the Rock
1994 Music for Little People
Available from Music for Little People
ISBN# 1-56628-009-5
A collection of African and African American songs for children with
an accompanying booklet with the lyrics for the songs.
Rhythms of Childhood
Ella Jenkins
1989 Smithsonian/Folkways Recordings
Available from Smithsonian/Folkways Recordings
A collection of songs for children from many American music traditions
including African American. An accompanying booklet includes lyrics and
background information for the songs.
Shake It to the One That You Love the Best
Cheryl Warren Mattox
1989 JTG of Nashville
ISBN# 0-9623381-0-9
This book and cassette combination includes children's play songs and
lullabies from the African American musical tradition. The book provides
musical notation and lyrics for the songs.
Shake Sugaree
Taj Mahal
1990 Music for Little People
Available from Music for Little People
ISBN# 1-8777 37-01-1
Taj Mahal sings and plays a collection of children's songs, mostly from
African American tradition. Lyrics for the songs are included.
Music - African
Africa: Never Stand Still
Jeffrey Charno
1994 Ellipsis Arts...
Available from Crizmac
ISBN# 1-55961-252-5
A collection of music from all over the African continent. Many languages
and music forms can be heard from the juju music of Nigeria to the mbaqanga
of South Africa. A guide to the musicians and music accompanies this collection.
Music - African
American
African American Community Gospel
Wade in the Water: Vol. IV
Bernice Reagon
1994 Smithsonian/Folkways Recordings
Available from Smithsonian/Folkways Recordings
Recordings of African American gospel music with lyrics and background
information in accompanying booklet.
African American Congregational Singing: 19th Century Roots.
Wade in the Water: Volume II
Bernice Reagon
1989 Smithsonian/Folkways Recordings
Available from Smithsonian/Folkways Recordings
Recordings of African American congregational music with lyrics and background
information in accompanying booklet.
African American Gospel: The Pioneering Composers. Wade in the
Water: Volume III
Bernice Reagon
1992 Smithsonian/Folkways Recordings
Available from Smithsonian/Folkways Recordings
Recordings of African American gospel music with lyrics and background
information in accompanying booklet.
African American Spirituals: The Concert Tradition
Wade in the Water: Volume 1
Bernice Reagon
1993 Smithsonian/Folkways Recordings
Available from Smithsonian/Folkways Recordings
Recordings of African American spiritual music with lyrics and background
information in an accompanying booklet.
African-American Folk Rhythms: Ella Jenkins and the Goodwill Spiritual
Choir
Ella Jenkins
1992 Smithsonian/Folkways Recordings
Available from Smithsonian/Folkways Recordings
This collection of recordings of African American spirituals begins with
an Afro-Cuban song, "Soy Negra," and continues with familiar spirituals
such as "Wade in the Water," "Run and Help Us Tell,"
and "Get Away Jordan." An accompanying booklet includes lyrics
and background information for each song.
Call and Response
Ella Jenkins
1990 Smithsonian/Folkways Recordings
Available from Smithsonian/Folkways Recordings
Recordings of call and response songs by Ella Jenkins with a classroom
of children. Most of the songs are chants using rhythms and nonsense words,
however, a West African Muessin chant, a love chant from North Africa and
an American chain gang chant are also included. Lyrics and background information
are provided in an accompanying booklet.
Jambo and Other Call and Response Songs and Chants
Ella Jenkins
1990 Smithsonian/Folkways Recordings
Available from Smithsonian/Folkways Recordings
Recordings of call and response songs from Africa, Cuba, and the U.S.
Let's Get the Rhythm of the Band
C Mattox
1994 JTG of Nashville
ISBN# 0-938971-97-2
An introduction to the history of African-American music including the
talking drums of ancestral Africa, spirituals, gospel, ragtime, blues, jazz
and rap. The book and cassette include the musical notation and lyrics in
addition to background information on each song.
Poetry
Anthology of African American Poetry for Young People
Arna Bontemps
1990 Smithsonian/Folkways Recordings
Available from Smithsonian/Folkways Recordings
ISBN# 0-93074-50444
A collection of poems by African American poets that were selected by
Arna Bontemps for youth in his book, Golden Slippers, are read by
Bontemps. An accompanying booklet provides the complete text for all poems.
Voice of Langston Hughes, The
Langston Hughes
1995 Smithsonian/Folkways Recordings
Available from Smithsonian/Folkways Recordings
This collection of Langston Hughes' work combines poetry, the Blues,
Afro-American history, folklore, humor, jazz and gospel music, all told
in the voice of Hughes himself. An accompanying booklet provides a complete
text of the tape and background information about Hughes and his work.
Stories and
Books on Tape
Abiyoyo
Pete Seeger
1986 Scholastic
Available from Scholastic
ISBN# 0-590-42720-2
Folk singer Pete Seeger used an ancient South African folk tale as the
source for this book. The tale tells of a monster named Abiyoyo who eats
people. When Abiyoyo threatens a village, a young boy and his father conquer
the monster in a clever and creative way. Book and cassette format available.
Abiyoyo and Other Story Songs for Children
Pete Seeger
1989 Smithsonian/Folkways Recordings
Available from Smithsonian/Folkways Recordings
Pete Seeger sings Abiyoyo and other story songs in this collection that
includes a complete text for the stories and lyrics for the songs.
Brer Rabbit and the Wonderful Tar Baby
1990 Rabbit Ears Productions, Inc.
Available from Rabbit Ears Productions, Inc.
Danny Glover narrates this comic episode of the Brer Rabbit stories in
which Brer Rabbit outsmarts his nemesis, Brer Fox, with a clever contraption
that he calls a "tar baby." The musical accompaniment is provided
by Taj Mahal.
Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain
Verna Aardema
1981 Scholastic
Available from Scholastic
ISBN# 0-590-42870-5
A terrible drought comes to Kapiti Plain and threatens the lives of the
animals that live there. Fortunately, a clever herdsman named Ki-pat finds
a way of bringing down the rain in this traditional tale from Kenya, Africa.
Book and cassette format available.
Gift of the Tortoise
Ladysmith Black Mambazo
1994 Music for Little People
Available from Music for Little People
ISBN# 1-56628-034-6
Thirteen traditional South African children's songs sung in the Zulu
language and a narration of the story of the minstrel tortoise are included
in this collection. An informative poster and lyrics for the songs are included.
How the Leopard Got His Spots
Rudyard Kipling
1989 Rabbit Ears Productions, Inc.
Available from Rabbit Ears Productions, Inc.
ISBN# 0-88708-112-6
Danny Glover narrates this Kipling tale about how the leopard acquired
spots in order to survive. The musical accompaniment is provided by Ladysmith
Black Mambazo.
Koi and the Kola Nuts
Brian Gleeson
1992 Rabbit Ears Productions, Inc.
Available from Rabbit Ears Productions, Inc.
ISBN# 0-88708-281-5
Whoppi Goldberg and Herbie Hancock provide the narration and musical
accompaniment for this African folktale of a chief's son who, when cheated
of his rightful inheritance, uses a bunch of kola nuts to gain a happy new
life. Book and cassette format available.
Mirandy and Brother Wind
Patricia McKissack
1988 Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.
ISBN# 0-769-82668-8
Cicely Tyson narrates this story of a young African American girl's first
cakewalk. Mirandy is determined to win by catching Brother Wind and making
him her partner. Book and cassette format available.
Music in the Family
Donna Renee Carter
1995 Lindsey Publishing, Inc.
ISBN# 1-885242-01-8
A boy from a musical family experiences all types of music and masters
the saxophone. A book and tape include text and musical accompaniment.
Slavery
Long Time to Freedom, A
Ella Jenkins
1992 Smithsonian/Folkways Recordings
Available from Smithsonian/Folkways Recordings
These songs represent a musical history of the long journey of African
Americans to freedom including gospel songs, spirituals, work songs, blues
and songs of freedom. An accompanying booklet provides background information
about each song.
Underground \Railroad: Game & Songs
Kim Harris and Reggie Harris
Chatham Hill Games
Available from Ray Toelke Associates
This cassette contains a narrator's description of the underground railroad
and accompanying songs from that experience. There is also an accompanying
game that simulates the escape from slavery along the underground railroad. | 
