Freedom - Stories for the Whole Family by Sheila Arnold and Charlotte Blake Alston

Gather your family to listen to stories and songs about freedom and, in particular, about American slavery and the civil rights movement.

(2:04) "Wade in the Water" - This story by Sheila Arnold is intertwined with the powerful spiritual by the same name. It's the story of a slave named Moses, his fight for freedom, and the terrible price people pay when their freedom is threatened. Content warning: While designed for a family audience, this story contains a couple of intense scenes. Caution is advised for younger children.

(16:45) Sam Payne shares a true story of seventy-five Igbo Nigerians and their treacherous choice made aboard a slave vessel on its way to Savannah, Georgia in 1803. They believed life to be synonymous with freedom, and the stand they took at Dunbar Creek earned the bank its name known today--"Igbo Landing".

(20:17) "Martin Luther King Rap" - Charlotte Blake Alston shares her story-poem about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Rosa Parks, and the Civil Rights Movement as they pushed forward for freedom and equality for all. This story turns the work of Dr. King into a reflective question as we are asked how to help make freedom ring.

(24:04) Charlotte Blake Alston shares how to share these hard stories with children. Always end with hope.

(25:36) "This Little Light of Mine" - Sheila Arnold adds her own measure of hope as she sings.

Stories bring us together. What stories and memories were sparked for you as you listened? And who will you share them with? The Apple Seed is a production of BYUradio and is hosted by storyteller Sam Payne.

Key Words: History, Power, Song, MLK, Freedom, Peace, Civil Rights Movement, Equality, Stories, Inequality, United States History, Black History, Slavery, Choices, Water, Hope, African American, Native Americans

00:00:00 - Introduction

00:20:18 - "MLK Rap" by Charlotte Blake Alston

00:02:04 - "Wade in the Water" by Sheila Arnold