The Seraph: Baltimore Collection of Church Music
March 1, 2018 10:22 AM   Subscribe

 
If you would like to see what was in The Seraph (although not that particular copy) there are some earlier editions available online at the Internet Archive and IMSLP
posted by lagomorphius at 10:51 AM on March 1, 2018 [1 favorite]


I've never read the preface before, it's kind of amazing in that the author describes hearing Douglass give an early talk and urging him to continue to be a public speaker and he is reluctant, thinking he is not a great orator. And of course he was one of the most lauded speakers of his era. Fascinating glimpse into history
posted by fshgrl at 2:05 PM on March 1, 2018 [2 favorites]


And of course he was one of the most lauded speakers of his era.

And is getting recognized more and more, I notice! Second time in a week I've been able to make that joke!
posted by Joe in Australia at 9:37 PM on March 1, 2018 [1 favorite]


Ha, I restrained myself from making that joke in the post, although not by much!

Seriously, I think I buried the lede a little bit; the "Cedar Hill" link goes to a thing Google put together for Black History Month, a slideshow of objects from the house museum. I didn't click on it until the last day of February and I wish I had done it earlier. It's a mix of photos and objects, and you see things like Douglass's grandchildren's checker board and Douglass's waistcoat before you get to the Seraph, with that heart-stopping caption.

Then I was looking at the autobiography, which just opens so brutally. He never saw his mother during the day. Like. Fuck. After he was born, she was sent to work on another farm away from her son, and the only way she could see him was to walk several miles after she finished working for the day, and then walk back before dawn the next day.

Then I was looking for some different links and learned that Douglass's wife, Anna Murray Douglass, funded his escape North, which means they were (sort of) one of the many families who bought their own freedom. There is so much hard-won and brutal history in that inscription in the Seraph.
posted by Snarl Furillo at 12:25 PM on March 2, 2018 [2 favorites]


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