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Episode 4: A once-enslaved musician’s melodies come back to life

Musicians perform music compositions written by Sawney Freeman at Waveny House in New Canaan, ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø. (L-R) Ilmar Gavilan, Jonathan Frelix, Briana Almonte. Unforgotten: ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø's Hidden History of Slavery. Still Image. Sawney Freeman Segment.
Mark Mirko
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ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø
Musicians perform music compositions written by Sawney Freeman at Waveny House in New Canaan, ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø. (L-R) Ilmar Gavilan, Jonathan Frelix, Briana Almonte. Unforgotten: ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø's Hidden History of Slavery. Still Image. Sawney Freeman Segment.

It's a story of mystery and music. ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø church volunteers searching to learn more about their community’s history learn that a once-enslaved fiddler named Sawney Freeman lived in their town. They go on a meticulous search to learn about this musician and discover he was also a composer. In fact, handwritten manuscripts of music attributed to Sawney Freeman were stored in a library across the state. The church painstakingly restores his music – and now, for the first time in centuries, his melodies are being performed.

In our fourth episode, reporter/producer Diane Orson and editorial consultant and curator highlight how Sawney Freeman’s music challenges the way most people think about the lives of the enslaved. Mitchell explains how free and enslaved people have shaped the culture of the United States, and he connects the music of Sawney Freeman to today’s genre-crossing Black artists, including Lil Nas X and Beyoncé.

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This podcast was produced by Cassandra Basler.

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Diane Orson is a special correspondent with ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø. She is a longtime reporter and contributor to National Public Radio. Her stories have been heard on Morning Edition, All Things Considered, Weekend Edition, Here and Now; and The World from PRX. She spent seven years as CT Public Radio's local host for Morning Edition.