This work song portrays the conditions in which African Americans found themselves living and working during the Reconstruction era in the post-Civil War South. This incredibly dynamic work is written in a

William Henry Davies' text is given a driving, rhythmic setting that encourages singer and listener alike to "sing out!" their songs of joy. The contrasting middle section is undergirded with rhythmic

"Perhaps it does not begin. Perhaps it is always. ... Perhaps this day the light begins in us." Jan Richardson's rich and universal text is set with an equally compelling and musically sensitive setting