Black History Month 2019

Black History Month 2019

During the term artists worked on two themes for Black History Month, “Follow the Drinking Gourd” and “In time of Silver Rain,” and did some independent work.

First Black History Theme: Follow the Drinking Gourd

The song is about the Underground Railroad. The big dipper is the drinking gourd of the song. It and the pole star are used in paintings. The two mountain views shown in some of the paintings are Woodall Mountain which travelers on the Underground Railroad had to cross. The quail in that song signals the beginning of the season for traveling on the Underground Railroad.

Follow the Drinking Gourd

VERSE 1
When the sun come back,
When the firs’ quail call,
Then the time is come
Foller the drinkin’ gou’d.
CHORUS
Foller the drinkin’ gou’d.
For the ole man say,
Foller the drinkin’ gou’d.
VERSE 2
The riva’s bank am a very good road,
The dead trees show the way,
Lef’ foot, peg foot goin’ on,
Foller the drinkin’ gou’d.
CHORUS
VERSE 3
The riva ends a-tween two hills,
Nuther riva on the other side.
Foller the drinkin’ gou’d.
CHORUS
VERSE 4
Wha the little riva
Meet the grea’ big un,
The ole man waits—
Foller the drinkin’ gou’d.
CHORUS

The second Theme for Black History month is this poem:

In Time of Silver Rain

Langston Hughes

In time of silver rain
The earth puts forth new life again,
Green grasses grow
And flowers lift their heads,
And over all the plain
The wonder spreads
Of Life,
Of Life,
Of life!
In time of silver rain
The butterflies lift silken wings
To catch a rainbow cry,
And trees put forth new leaves to sing
In joy beneath the sky
As down the roadway
Passing boys and girls
Go singing, too,
In time of silver rain When spring
And life
Are new.

Independent work

The first two paintings are part of the Black History month theme. The other two are paintings done during the term.

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