Deep River
A digital archive of Negro spirituals — preserving the songs, stories, and scholarship of a tradition born from the deepest suffering and the most enduring hope.
These songs belong to Black Americans. This archive exists to honor that, and to make the history and scholarship surrounding these works freely accessible to all.
The archive is organized around four scholarly collections — Du Bois, Fisk, Hampton, and Lomax — and draws on primary sources and peer scholarship. Read more about our editorial approach and cultural commitments.
Featured spiritual
City Called Heaven
I've Heard of a City Called Heaven; I Am a Poor Pilgrim of Sorrow
A sorrow song of isolation and longing for heaven, sung by a pilgrim disowned by family and world alike — later carried into the American concert hall and gospel tradition by Mahalia Jackson.
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Explore the archive
Browse and search 30 documented spirituals, filterable by era, region, theme, and scholarly collection.