Story of the Spirituals Project, 1999

As an introduction to the history of the Spirituals Project, Arthur Jones recounts his early experiences in music beginning with his participation in the New York City All City High School Chorus, to his training in and career as a practicing psychologist, and to his return to music after 25 years by performing spirituals in fundraising events. He discusses his compelling need to educate people on the meanings of spirituals, Southern religious folk songs created and first sung by African Americans in slavery. In order to further the education effort he planned a documentary film on spirituals from which the Spirituals Project emerged. During the process of working on the film, he received grants for a national networking oral history project.