God’s Trombones

'God’s Trombones; Seven Negro Sermons in Verse' is a masterpiece of American literature that captures the rhythmic power and spiritual fervor of the African American oral tradition. In this collection, James Weldon Johnson reimagines the traditional folk sermon as a high art form, translating the passionate cadence of the black preacher into vivid, dignified verse. Eschewing stereotypical dialect, Johnson utilizes the majestic sweep of the English language to echo the emotional depth and musicality of the pulpit. The volume consists of seven sermon-poems, including well-known pieces like 'The Creation' and 'Go Down Death,' as well as an introductory prayer. Each piece serves as a tribute to the 'old-time Negro preacher,' whose voice Johnson likens to the trombone-the instrument most capable of expressing the range of human emotion. Through these verses, the work explores universal themes of life, death, and salvation while celebrating a unique cultural heritage. 'God’s Trombones; Seven Negro Sermons in Verse' remains an essential contribution to the Harlem Renaissance, offering a profound look at the intersection of faith, folklore, and poetic innovation.This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you may see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.