Home > Classroom > Sacred Harp
The Sacred Harp is the only hymnal known to have been used in frontier Florida. Years before there was a church in this area, the settlers would gather on Sundays to exchange news and to sing from this hymnal.
The four shaped notes - Fa, Sol, La, and Mi - were meant for those who could not read music.
Image number: FS79147b
Series: Folklife Collection. North Florida Folklife Project (Bethlehem Sacred Harp Sing Slide Tape Program). Forms part of series S1577, Florida Folklife Archive, Photographs and Slides of Folk Arts, Artisans, and Performers.
Image Number: FS79211b
Series: Folklife Collection. North Florida Folklife Project (Bethlehem Sacred Harp Sing Slide Tape Program). Forms part of series S1577, Florida Folklife Archive, Photographs and Slides of Folk Arts, Artisans, and Performers.
Image Number: FS79226b
Series: Folklife Collection. North Florida Folklife Project (Bethlehem Sacred Harp Sing Slide Tape Program). Forms part of series S1577, Florida Folklife Archive, Photographs and Slides of Folk Arts, Artisans, and Performers.
Image Number: FS781264
Series: Folklife Collection. North Florida Folklife Project (Bethlehem Sacred Harp Sing Slide Tape Program). Forms part of series S1577, Florida Folklife Archive, Photographs and Slides of Folk Arts, Artisans, and Performers.
Photographer: McCallum, Brenda,
Image Number: FS781279
Series: Folklife Collection. North Florida Folklife Project (Bethlehem Sacred Harp Sing Slide Tape Program). Forms part of series S1577, Florida Folklife Archive, Photographs and Slides of Folk Arts, Artisans, and Performers.
Photographer: McCallum, Brenda,
Image Number: FS79193b
Series: Folklife Collection. North Florida Folklife Project (Bethlehem Sacred Harp Sing Slide Tape Program). Forms part of series S1577, Florida Folklife Archive, Photographs and Slides of Folk Arts, Artisans, and Performers.
Image number: FS79212b
Series: Folklife Collection. North Florida Folklife Project (Bethlehem Sacred Harp Sing Slide Tape Program). Forms part of series S1577, Florida Folklife Archive, Photographs and Slides of Folk Arts, Artisans, and Performers.
Image number: FS781273
Series: Folklife Collection. North Florida Folklife Project (Bethlehem Sacred Harp Sing Slide Tape Program). Forms part of series S1577, Florida Folklife Archive, Photographs and Slides of Folk Arts, Artisans, and Performers.
Photographer: McCallum, Brenda,
Image number: FS79192b
Series: Folklife Collection. North Florida Folklife Project (Bethlehem Sacred Harp Sing Slide Tape Program). Forms part of series S1577, Florida Folklife Archive, Photographs and Slides of Folk Arts, Artisans, and Performers.
Image number: FS79225b
Series: Folklife Collection. North Florida Folklife Project (Bethlehem Sacred Harp Sing Slide Tape Program). Forms part of series S1577, Florida Folklife Archive, Photographs and Slides of Folk Arts, Artisans, and Performers.
Image number: FS79359b
Series: Folklife Collection. North Florida Folklife Project (Bethlehem Sacred Harp Sing Slide Tape Program). Forms part of series S1577, Florida Folklife Archive, Photographs and Slides of Folk Arts, Artisans, and Performers.
Notes: Photographed at the Bethlehem Primitive Baptist Church in Old Chicora.Accompanying note: "Well, in the Sacred Harp book there are four shapes, FA, SO, LA, MI. The FA is triangular, and the LA is square, the MI is diamond-shaped and the SO is uh zero, an O. And there's only four shapes, in Sacred Harp music and they're called, the notes are called by the shape of the note, rather than where it is located on the staff... because you don't have to know very much music to be able to sing... That's the main reason that, that I can figure out... anyway... is that it's easy to sing, just because you, you call the note by the shape of it."
Image number: FS79364b
Series: Folklife Collection. North Florida Folklife Project (Bethlehem Sacred Harp Sing Slide Tape Program). Forms part of series S1577, Florida Folklife Archive, Photographs and Slides of Folk Arts, Artisans, and Performers.
Image number: FS79257b
Series: Folklife Collection. North Florida Folklife Project (Bethlehem Sacred Harp Sing Slide Tape Program). Forms part of series S1577, Florida Folklife Archive, Photographs and Slides of Folk Arts, Artisans, and Performers.
Image number: FS79261b
Series: Folklife Collection. North Florida Folklife Project (Bethlehem Sacred Harp Sing Slide Tape Program). Forms part of series S1577, Florida Folklife Archive, Photographs and Slides of Folk Arts, Artisans, and Performers.
Image number: FS79365b
Series: Folklife Collection. North Florida Folklife Project (Bethlehem Sacred Harp Sing Slide Tape Program). Forms part of series S1577, Florida Folklife Archive, Photographs and Slides of Folk Arts, Artisans, and Performers.
Florida Memory is funded under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act, from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, administered by the Florida Department of State, Division of Library and Information Services.
Florida's history is your history. Help us preserve it by joining the Friends of the State Library & Archives of Florida
About Us | Contact Us | Disclaimer | Archives Online Catalog | Library Catalog | FL Electronic Library | FL Government Info | Ask A Librarian Accessibility Statement