Discover a recovered soundscape of resistance, remembrance and renewal at this extraordinary concert celebrating the music of the British abolitionist movement. Performed by a six-piece ensemble from the Abolition Song and Its Legacies (ASaiL) project, the evening brings to life rarely heard anti-slavery songs composed between 1787 and the 1830s, interwoven with readings from eighteenth-century Black writers.
The programme features music by Ignatius Sancho alongside newly arranged eighteenth-century works, revealing the rich musical traditions that supported the campaign to abolish the transatlantic slave trade. The concert also highlights the often-overlooked contributions of women who served as composers, writers, organisers and cultural leaders within abolitionist networks, offering audiences a deeper understanding of the people whose voices shaped one of history’s most significant social justice movements.
Presented at the Foundling Museum, the performance combines music, history and literature to explore the enduring legacy of abolition through live performance and storytelling. Following the concert, audiences are invited to take part in a discussion reflecting on memory, justice and the continuing relevance of these historic campaigns in today’s world.
Part of the Abolition Song and Its Legacies research project, this unique event offers a rare opportunity to experience music that has remained unheard for generations while celebrating the lives and voices of Black writers, musicians and abolitionists whose contributions helped shape Britain’s history.
More Camden Listings MORE
Samba Touré
Samba Touré’s music is characterised by hypnotic guitar grooves radiating with the intensity of the desert sun. It…
Renell Shaw: Remember Us Tomorrow
Artist-in-Residence Renell Shaw presents the world premiere of Remember Us Tomorrow, the final chapter in his acclaimed Windrush…
Classically Black 2026
Classically Black 2026 returns to Kings Place in London for a full day celebrating Black and Global Majority…
Abolition Song Concert
Discover a recovered soundscape of resistance, remembrance and renewal at this extraordinary concert celebrating the music of the…
Black British Folk Takeover
Black British Folk Takeover returns to Cecil Sharp House for an inspiring festival-style celebration exploring the rich and…