Spirituals are rooted in a history of pain and hope. Today, Colorado Matters presents a “Journey to Freedom” with the Spirituals Project Choir based at the University of Denver’s Lamont School of Music. Our colleagues at CPR Classical spent the last year sharing spirituals chosen by the choir’s director, M. Roger Holland II.

Classical music, and in fact American history is incomplete without understanding the story that spirituals tell, or hearing their melodies that can wrench the heart, elevate the soul and stick in the memory. This month, CPR Classical launches a yearlong exploration into these deeply moving works.

M. Roger Holland, II presents "Lord, How Come Me Here?", this month's featured spiritual to launch our yearlong series: Journey to Freedom: The Spirituals Radio Project.

M. Roger Holland reflects on the spiritual “He Never Said A Mumblin Word" in this month's installment of Journey to Freedom: The Spirituals Radio Project.

…many enslaved Africans adopted biblical figures not only as heroes, but as ancestors, to replace the African ancestors from whom they had been torn. -M. Roger Holland, II If you want some understanding of how the enslaved African community lived, struggled, and even hoped, turn to their spirituals.

Spirituals are often taught to children. I believe that’s because the melodies are simple and easy to learn. The lyrics are repetitious and easily grasped. Many of the spirituals are structured in a call and response manner, ideal for group participation.

Recently, I shared with some of my colleagues memories of childhood; elementary school, junior high and high school. I was bussed into a white neighborhood starting in the second grade. It was in the second grade that I first heard the “n-word.”

The words of this Spiritual seem simple and obvious. They were immensely important to enslaved Africans. But who WAS this "God?"

Enslaved Africans became quite adept at using metaphors in their singing to reference freedom of the community.

Marian Anderson chose “My Soul’s Been Anchored In the Lord,” touchingly transcribed by Florence Price, to close her Lincoln Memorial performance in 1939. It was a bold move.

There are spirituals that comment on the behavior of members of the community, no matter the race. Those fall into the category of songs about accountability.

Many lyrics reflect scripture found in the Bible. The spiritual “In Bright Mansions Above” is reflective of that practice.

What if…Mary, Mother of God, was Black? And that Jesus was Black. That gives new meaning and relevance to the story...

“Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.”

The significance of the spiritual “God is a God” signaled reliability and stability to the enslaved community. The roots of the words trace back to the Hebrew tradition and were important to those seeking deliverance. Roger Holland speaks to CPR Classical's Monika Vischer about these important messages in Journey to Freedom: The Spirituals Radio Project.

The first several decades of 4th of July celebrations meant nothing to those who were enslaved. What was there to celebrate? M. Roger Holland, II shares why Juneteenth takes on a meaning of independence. And it’s all related to the spiritual “Great Gettin’ Up Morning” as part of Journey to Freedom: The Spirituals Radio Project.

M. Roger Holland, II and CPR Classical Program Director Monika Vischer discuss the double meanings many spirituals held to the enslaved community in Journey to Freedom: The Spirituals Radio Project.

Holland speaks with Monika Vischer about the new radio feature, Journey to Freedom: The Spiritual Radio Project and explains the origins of the African-American Spiritual.