Songs of the Undersung

A Semiquincentennial project on the hidden histories of the Americas

Songs of the Undersung

A Semiquincentennial project on the hidden histories of the Americas

Peter C. Hanes – Friend, Humanitarian, Cultural Activist, Musician

1960 – 2023

Re-energizing Quarters of the Enslaved

New Orleans USA

Tootie Montana & the Down by the Riverside 2nd Line

New Orleans USA

Mary Ann Shadd Cary & the Fight for Freedom 2nd Line

Delaware USA, Windsor Canada, Washington D.C. USA

Detroit River Project & the Gateway to Freedom 2nd Line

Detroit USA / Windsor Canada

La Conga de Los Hoyos & Desfile de Invasión

Santiago de Cuba

Bloco Olodum & Festa Yemanjá

Salvador de Bahia Brasil

Mother Bethel Church, Elsie Wise & the West Powelton Steppers

Philadelphia USA

The Zora Neale Hurston 2nd Line in West Philly

In the fall of 2016, we partnered with Writers Room a community outreach program of Drexel University’s Dornsife Center for Community Partnerships. The NEA Big Read event centered around Zora Neale Hurston’s life and work, featuring talks by Zora Neale Huston scholar Dr. Cheryl Wall, flash-fiction writing, dance programs and field-recording workshops. To kick off this multi-week program, we produced a 2nd line parade featuring the West Powelton Drummers, a West Philly community drumline with 25+ years serving the community. The 2nd line went from a theater at Drexel, through the streets and ended at a community center where they performed alongside a college jazz band.  The short video we created captures the essence of the event that strived to close the ‘town-and-gown’ gap between the university and it’s neighboring community.