Sacred Harp

"Years before there was a church in this area, the Sacred Harp Singers would meet at people's houses and sing. And then, later, they used to meet at an old schoolhouse which was called Johnson School and it was located on what is now Highway 674. But it disbanded and it was reorganized here at this church, the best that we can find out, on the 5th Sunday in May 1924" - Author unknown

About the Collection Materials from the Florida Folklife Program. Documents and Audio Interviews with, and recordings of, sacred harp singers. Photos Photographs of Sacred Harp singing. Lesson Plans Listening to history.

This hymnal is the only one known to have been used in frontier Florida. Although there was no church nearby in the 1850's, the settlers would gather on Sundays to exchange news and to sing from this ancient book.

The four shaped notes- Fa, Sol, La, and Mi - were meant for those who could not read music.