The arguments for removing books from libraries and curricula haven’t changed all that much but the context has. There’s much more emphasis on dismantling the institution because they contain materials that people find upsetting.
"And to all the librarians reading this: you are doing sacred work. Please keep showing up, even when it feels invisible. Our kids are watching. Our communities are grateful. And your efforts matter — more than you know."
Music is an especially emotive form of storytelling. It’s truly a universal language and I hope readers will take away an appreciation for spirituals as a valued basis for so much of the music produced in the USA.