This Black History resource was written by Angeline Morrison, whose The Sorrow Songs (Folk Songs of Black British Experience) was The Guardian’s folk album of the year in 2022.
In this resource Angeline investigates the UK’s hidden histories of people of African origin. The descendants of these people live in Britain today. We explore their ancestors’ relationship to traditional songs that are still sung in Britain.
We have designed this resource:
– to acknowledge and celebrate the contribution of black people to life in Britain
– to expand and develop interpretations of English folk music
– and to encourage learning about and from different perspectives: showing how folk songs, and the stories they tell, can speak to all people regardless of background or heritage. Learners are encouraged to work with traditional songs in creative ways to develop new interpretations and understandings.
This resource is aimed at Upper Key Stage 3, 4 and 5 (age 14 and over). It can be used to support learning in and across a variety of curriculum areas, including music, English, drama, history, performing arts, citizenship and PSHE (Personal, Social & Health Education).
Explore the resource now
Photo: Sara Forbes Bonetta by Camille Silvy, 1862, public domain.
About the English Folk Dance and Song Society’s Resource Bank
The Resource Bank collects together hundreds of practical materials for use in formal and informal teaching and learning contexts, in schools and also in community settings. All of the materials are free and downloadable. They make imaginative use of folk song, music, dance, drama and other arts.
The resources have developed out of innovative projects and initiatives run by the English Dance and Song Society Education team over the past decade or so. You can find resources suitable for your subject or setting by filtering by Topic, Key Stage and/or Audience.
The Resource Bank was developed through The Full English project with funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund.
