"A special issue of Black sacred music : a journal of theomusicology."

"The focus of this reader of the complete writings of musician and scholar Robert Nathaniel Dett (1882-1943) is African American sacred music."--Preface.

"Bibliography of Dett's published works": page 131.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Foreword / Dominique-Ren ďe Lerma -- Preface / Jon Michael Spencer -- Introduction / Jon Michael Spencer -- The writings of R. Nathaniel Dett. Helping to lay foundation for Negro music of the future -- The emancipation of Negro music -- Development of Negro secular music -- The development of Negro religious music -- Negro music of the present -- Review of The book of American Negro spirituals -- Review of Negro workaday songs -- John W. Work -- Religious folk-songs of the Negro -- As the Negro school sings -- Notes to the Hampton Choir at Carnegie Hall -- Notes to the Hampton Choir at Symphony Hall -- Notes to the Hampton Choir at Queen's Hall -- A musical invasion of Europe -- From bell stand to throne room -- The Dett collection of Negro spirituals -- Understanding the Negro spiritual -- The authenticity of the spiritual -- The development of the Negro spiritual -- Negro music.