A Concert for Freedom

A Concert for Freedom uses music, storytelling, and historical reflection to engage audiences with with the complex realities of our times. Through a carefully curated blend of Revolutionary-era African American spirituals, spoken-word performances, and historical texts, the performance explores themes of enslavement, resistance, emancipation, liberation, and the universal desire for self-determination. Particular attention is given to Rhode Island’s central role in the transatlantic slave trade and to the experiences of enslaved African American men who enlisted in the Revolutionary War, often viewing military service as a pathway to freedom and a future free from bondage.