Go Down, Moses

“Oh Freedom” by Anonymous (late 1850s)

A companion lyric to “Go Down, Moses,” this powerful spiritual from the same era expresses a keening for liberation from the literal chains of enslavement. If “Go Down, Moses” lifts enslaved people toward hope, “Oh Freedom” reminds listeners of the deep pain of enslavement and offers as consolation the enduring stoic spirit of those enslaved.

“The Negro Speaks of Rivers” by Langston Huges (1921)

One of the leading figures in the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s, Hughes here reflects on how generations after the Emancipation Proclamation, Black people still yearn for authentic freedom, genuine equality, and compassionate treatment in white America. He celebrates the ancient dignity of the African soul, whose essence cannot be diminished by bigotry.

“Still I Rise” by Maya Angelou (1978)

In a contemporary repurposing of the spiritual, Angelou uses the call and response technique to offer her own aspirational vision of the endurance and dignity of Black people despite bigotry and racism.

“Honoring Black History Month: ‘Go Down, Moses’” by Yale Strom (2020)

In comprehensive look at the dozens of variations of “Go Down, Moses,” Strom focuses on the importance the lyric developed for Black people long after emancipation.