Go Down, Moses is an extraordinary celebration of the most uniquely American form of music, the spiritual. Reflecting the joys and sorrows, hopes and fears of black slaves, these songs are some of the most powerful poetry ever created in America.

In Go Down, Moses, the noted Harvard scholar Richard Newman has collected the lyrics to 200 spirituals, along with the music to 25 of the most popular. His thoughtful introduction and commentary place these songs within their historical context. There are folk hymns of worship; songs of social protest; songs with hidden messages about resistance and escape; and deeply personal, poignant songs about the struggles and dreams of countless slave poets.

Go Down, Moses also has a provocative foreword by Cornel West, and is richly illustrated by Terrance Cummings.