Singing Self, Hearing Nation: Program 4

In this program, Song of America Fellow Emma Beachy returns to Langston Hughes to examine two of his lesser-known patriotic songs written during World War II. Emma explores Hughes’ evolving relationship to American identity over time and the relationship between patriotism and working for justice.

Host, Audio Editing & Scriptwriter: Emma Beachy
Production Support: Christie Finn

Recordings:
Singers: Students from Dr. Louise Toppin’s African American Art Song Literature course during the Winter 2021 at the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor, MI, USA)

This program was created in 2023-2024 and released in September 2024 as part of the Song of America Fellowship Program, a project of the Classic Song Research Initiative between the Hampsong Foundation and the University of Michigan, School of Music, Theatre, and Dance.