“A compelling story of a hymn rescued from the horror of slavery . . . in the author’s hands, ‘Amazing Grace’ lands firmly on the right side of history.”―TLS
Journey through the history of ‘Amazing Grace, ‘ one of the transatlantic world’s most popular hymns and a powerful anthem for humanity.
Sung in moments of personal isolation or on state occasions watched by millions, ‘Amazing Grace’ has become an unparalleled anthem for humankind. How did a simple Christian hymn, written in a remote English vicarage in 1772, come to hold such sway over millions in all corners of the modern world? With this short, engaging cultural history, James Walvin offers an explanation.
The greatest paradox is that the author of ‘Amazing Grace, ‘ John Newton, was a former Liverpool slave captain. Walvin follows the song across the Atlantic to track how it became part of the cause for abolition and galvanized decades of movements and trends in American history and popular culture. By the end of the twentieth century, ‘Amazing Grace’ was performed in Soweto and Vanuatu, by political dissidents in China, and by Kikuyu women in Kenya. No other song has acquired such global resonance as ‘Amazing Grace, ‘ and its fascinating history is well worth knowing.
Table of Content
Contents
List of Illustrations
Introduction
1 • The Young Sinner
2 • Slave Trader Turned Preacher
3 • Crossing the Atlantic
4 • America, Music, and “Amazing Grace”
5 • Music in Slavery and Freedom
6 • Singing and the World of Print
7 • Musical Entertainments
8 • “Amazing Grace” in Folk and Gospel Music
9 • Music for Troubled Times
10 • A Song for All Seasons
11 • Pandemic: An Anthem for Humankind
12 • With Amazing Grace
Acknowledgments
Notes
Sources and Further Reading
Index
About the author
James Walvin is Professor of History Emeritus at the University of York. He has published widely on slavery and modern social history. His most recent book is A World Transformed: Slavery in the Americas and the Origins of Global Power.
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