This collection of oral folklore from coastal Georgia was assembled during the 1930s as part of a WPA writers' program, under the supervision of Mary Granger. The accounts in this book, framed by colorful descriptions of the rural locales where they were collected, were principally from elderly African-Americans, some of them centarians. Most had been slaves. In some cases they had known first generation slaves who had been born in Africa. This book focuses on a set of beliefs and magical practices (some of which are today known as 'Hoodoo'), including root doctoring, the existence of spirits, talismans, lucky and unlucky acts and omens and more. The interviewer also investigates the use of drums and dancing during celebrations, funeral and baptism rituals, food taboos, and other aspects of folklore and ethnology. This study dispels any lingering doubt that these beliefs are derived directly from Africa--it exhaustively cross-references the narratives with an appendix of quotes from African ethnographers, folklorists and explorers. Do not be put off by the use of phonetic dialect spelling. This is not being used here to belittle the speakers or cast them as ignorant. Rather, this book is scrupulously non-judgmental. This is simply how oral accounts were transcribed before there were portable tape recorders or camcorders. It takes a bit of work, but after a few pages, these potent and long-dead voices come to life. John Bruno Hare, March 23, 2007

Drums and shadows;: Survival studies among the Georgia coastal Negroes

History

Georgia Writers' Project

Americas

Anchor Books

Set against the background of the antebellum slave trade, Drums and Shadows traces the persistence of African heritage in the culture of blacks living on the Georgia coast in the 1930s. In the later years of the depression, members of the Georgia Writers' Project visited and interviewed blacks, many of whose grandparents, smuggled into slavery as late as 1858, had passed on the customs and beliefs of their African past. Seeking evidence of African traditions, the project's workers questioned the blacks about conjure--the curses and potions responsible for turns of luck, illnesses, and even death--about dreams that often determine the course of daily life, and about spirits and other apparitions as real as walking, breathing people.

Drums and Shadows: Survival Studies Among the Georgia Coastal Negroes

Univ of Georgia Pr

Set against the background of the antebellum slave trade, Drums and Shadows traces the persistence of African heritage in the culture of blacks living on the Georgia coast in the 1930s. In the later years of the depression, members of the Georgia Writers' Project visited and interviewed blacks, many of whose grandparents, smuggled into slavery as late as 1858, had passed on the customs and beliefs of their African past. Seeking evidence of African traditions, the project's workers questioned the blacks about conjure―the curses and potions responsible for turns of luck, illnesses, and even death―about dreams that often determine the course of daily life, and about spirits and other apparitions as real as walking, breathing people.

Drums and Shadows: Survival Studies among the Georgia Coastal Negroes (Brown Thrasher Books)

University of Georgia Press

Set against the background of the antebellum slave trade, Drums and Shadows traces the persistence of African heritage in the culture of blacks living on the Georgia coast in the 1930s. Members of the Georgia Writers' Project interviewed blacks about conjure―the curses and potions―and about dreams, spirits, and other apparitions.

Drums and Shadows: Survival Studies among the Georgia Coastal Negroes

Africa

Praeger

Savannah River plantations: Savannah Writers' Project

Reprint Co

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Georgia Writers' Project. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Georgia Writers' Project

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Georgia Writers' Project. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Drums and shadows;: Survival studies among the Georgia coastal Negroes

Drums and Shadows: Survival Studies Among the Georgia Coastal Negroes

Drums and Shadows: Survival Studies among the Georgia Coastal Negroes (Brown Thrasher Books)

Drums and Shadows: Survival Studies among the Georgia Coastal Negroes

Savannah River plantations: Savannah Writers' Project

Drums and shadows;: Survival studies among the Georgia coastal Negroes