The American Experience - The Jubilee Singers: Sacrifice and Glory [VHS]

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	Actor(s):	David McCullough David Ogden Stiers Joe Morton Michael Murphy Linda Hunt
	Video by:	Pbs (Direct)
	Sales Rank:	275206

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Actor(s):
David McCullough
David Ogden Stiers
Joe Morton
Michael Murphy
Linda Hunt

Creators:
Katy Mostoller (Producer)
Michael Rossi (Producer)
Rocky Collins (Producer)
Rocky Collins (Writer)
Tracy Heather Strain (Producer)
Henry Hampton (Writer)

Recording label: Pbs (Direct)
EAN: 0841887003704
Binding: VHS Tape
Format: NTSC,
Release Date: 2000-06-06
Universal product code (UPC): 794054825831
Audience rating: Unrated

Description
It was 1871, and the young singers - all but two of them former slaves - were performing before far-off audiences to save their struggling new school. The Jubilee Singers' first concert, in Oberlin, Ohio, raised hopes but little else. Still, they refused to quit, and as word of their talent spread along the route of the old Underground Railway, both crowds and collections grew. The youths from Nashville, Tennessee, made history by saving Fisk University, introducing the world to the power of spirituals, and challenging racial stereotypes. See - and hear - this profound and moving story of students who battled prejudice and oppression to sing their way into a nation's heart.

Amazon.com
Setting forth to keep financial ruin from striking their Tennessee college for former slaves, the Jubilee Singers, most of whom were former slaves themselves, managed to bring the haunting music of bondage to an enormous international audience. This documentary, an installment of the PBS American Experience series, tells their story beautifully by utilizing excerpts from letters and diaries, archival photographs, and subtle re-creations by modern actors and singers that replicate the inspiring ambience of the original performances. Overcoming the obstacles of violent racism and audience indifference, the Jubilee Singers eventually acquired an appreciative audience whose far-flung members included Mark Twain, President Ulysses S. Grant, and England's Queen Victoria (who was so impressed she allowed her personal portraitist to paint the troupe during a triumphant European tour). The Jubilee Singers succeeded beyond anyone's expectations. They essentially saved Fisk University as well as the music of their past, while always carrying an important message about racial equality. And while they found considerable fame on the world stage, the strain of constant touring exacted a considerable toll on the singers. This documentary is a fascinating look at an inspiring cultural phenomenon. --Robert J. McNamara

Running time: 60 minutes
Language: English (Original Language)