Wade in the Water by Arlyn Johnson -SOLD!

I grew up in the suburbs of Kansas City as a young white girl in the late 50's and 60's. My parents wanted to be a part of race relations change and our family attended an all black church in the downtown inner city for nearly 20 years. During that time, I sang in the choir; The Shalom Singers which became well known throughout the region for singing Negro Spirituals. Wade in the Water was one of these and the inspiration for this book 40 years later. The spirituals often contained clues to help guide the slaves on their journey north on the Underground Railroad. This song warns them to cross streams and rivers to ward off the bloodhounds on their trail and makes hidden reference to their plight through lyrics relating to the Bible. The music and lyrics of Wade in the Water remind us that this story and other stories of profound spiritual beauty during times of bondage are sadly still being experienced and that there is much work to be done before we can say "the end."