Music Through Time

In 1619, a Portuguese slave ship traveled across the Atlantic ocean with a hull filled with humans slaves: captive Africans from Angola, in southwestern Africa. The men women and children, most likely from the kingdom of Ndongo and Kongo, endured the horrific journey, bound for a life of enslavement in Mexico. Almost half the captives had died by the time the ship was seized by two English pirate ships, the remaining Africans were taken to Point Comfort, a port near Jamestown.   

Swing low, sweet chariot,
Coming for to carry me home,
Swing low, sweet chariot,
Coming for to carry me home.

I looked over Jordan and what did I see
Coming for to carry me home,
A band of angels coming after me,
Coming for to carry me home.

Tell all my friends that I’m coming, too,
Coming for to carry me home.

I you get there before I do,
Coming for to carry me home,