Your accountLog in Basket Search
English Folk Dance & Song Society English Folk Dance & Song Society
Cecil Sharp House
Vaughan Williams Memorial Library
National Youth Folk Ensemble

Support our work

US tax-efficient giving now available

Give now

Support our work

US taxpayers, make a tax-efficient donation and help us to maintain and expand our resources for folk arts practitioners and researchers

Give now

Support our work

We champion folk music and dance at the heart of cultural life, all across England. Can you support the folk arts with a donation today?

Give now

Support our work

We champion folk music and dance at the heart of cultural life, all across England. Can you support the folk arts with a donation today?

Give now

Support our work

We champion folk music and dance at the heart of cultural life, all across England. Can you support the folk arts with a donation today?

Give now
Donate Image Logo
  • Cecil Sharp House
  • Vaughan Williams Memorial Library
  • National Youth Folk Ensemble
  • What’s on
    • How to book
      • Travel to Cecil Sharp House
      • Access at Cecil Sharp House
    • Gigs
    • Classes & Courses
    • Conferences & Talks
    • CPD
    • Dances
      • The Folk Dance Calendar
  • Learning
    • Young People
      • National Youth Folk Ensemble
      • Dance
      • London Youth Folk Ensemble
      • Disabled Young People
      • Folk Unlimited
    • Adults
      • Cecil Sharp House Choir
      • Sunday Folk Music Workshops
      • Dance Classes
      • Lectures and Talks
      • Monday Folk Singers
      • Folk Beyond
      • FAQs
    • Families
      • Family Barn Dances
      • Family Friendly
    • Practitioners
      • Professional Development
      • Dance Development
      • Folk Education Network
    • Resources
      • Beginners’ GuidesBeginners’ Guides
      • GlossaryGlossary
      • A-ZA-Z
      • Resource Search
    • Schools & Colleges
      • Artsmark
  • Artist Development
    • Artists
      • Showcases
      • Commissions
      • Bursaries
      • Bursary stories
      • Bursary reports
      • Micro Grants
      • Musicians in Museums
      • Other Opportunities
    • Partners
      • Associate Company
      • Associate Artists
      • English Folk Expo
    • Folk Discovery
      • Bhangra Ceilidh
    • At Cecil Sharp House
      • Programming
      • Exhibitions
  • Support us
    • Donate now
      • General donation
      • Regular donations
      • Gifts in wills
      • US giving
    • Support an activity
      • Library
      • Dance Development
      • National Youth Folk Ensemble
      • Children and Young People
      • Artist Development
    • Membership
      • Starter Membership
      • Individuals
      • Groups
      • Libraries and Institutions
      • Insurance
      • Member Dance Clubs
    • Folk Shop
      • CDs
      • Publications
      • Book and CD Sets
      • Merchandise
    • Gift vouchers
  • About us
    • What we do
      • News
      • Advocacy
      • Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
      • Press and Media
      • Library
      • Partner Organisations
      • APPG for Folk Arts
    • Who we are
      • Staff
      • President
      • Board
      • Annual reviews
      • Annual General Meetings
    • Our history
      • Past projects
      • Gold Badge Awards
      • Local Heroes
    • Publications
      • Folk Music Journal
      • English Dance and Song
    • Folk Player
      • In the Archive With...
      • Listen: Classic Folk
      • Folk Folk
      • Old Songs Podcast
      • Young Folk Club Playlists
    • Work for us
      • Vacancies
      • Work Experience
      • Volunteer
  • Venue Hire
    • Seperator Test (3)
    • Seperator Test (4)
    • Seperator Test (5)
    • Hire our Venue
      • Weddings
    • Seperator Test
    • Seperator Test (2)
    • Seperator Test (3)
  • Members’ area

Black British History and Folk Songs

This Black History resource was written by Angeline Morrison, whose The Sorrow Songs (Folk Songs of Black British Experience) was The Guardian’s folk album of the year in 2022.

 
 
 
 
View this post on Instagram
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by English Folk Dance and Song Society (EFDSS) (@the_efdss)

In this resource Angeline investigates the UK’s hidden histories of people of African origin. The descendants of these people live in Britain today. We explore their ancestors’ relationship to traditional songs that are still sung in Britain. 

We have designed this resource:
– to acknowledge and celebrate the contribution of black people to life in Britain
– to expand and develop interpretations of English folk music
– and to encourage learning about and from different perspectives: showing how folk songs, and the stories they tell, can speak to all people regardless of background or heritage. Learners are encouraged to work with traditional songs in creative ways to develop new interpretations and understandings.

This resource is aimed at Upper Key Stage 3, 4 and 5 (age 14 and over). It can be used to support learning in and across a variety of curriculum areas, including music, English, drama, history, performing arts, citizenship and PSHE (Personal, Social & Health Education).

Explore the resource now

Photo: Sara Forbes Bonetta by Camille Silvy, 1862, public domain.


About the English Folk Dance and Song Society’s Resource Bank

The Resource Bank collects together hundreds of practical materials for use in formal and informal teaching and learning contexts, in schools and also in community settings. All of the materials are free and downloadable. They make imaginative use of folk song, music, dance, drama and other arts.

The resources have developed out of innovative projects and initiatives run by the English Dance and Song Society Education team over the past decade or so. You can find resources suitable for your subject or setting by filtering by Topic, Key Stage and/or Audience. 

The Resource Bank was developed through The Full English project with funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund. 



×

Support us, and support the folk arts

We champion folk music and dance at the heart of cultural life, all across England.

Donations provide immediate support. But even more than that, they prove that so many people value what we do – helping us to secure funding from partner organisations.

Can you donate today? 

Donate now   Join us for only £2 a month
visa Mastercard American Express PayPal
Donate Image Logo
Contact us
Travel
Access
Folk Shop
The Folk Dance Calendar
Policies
Safeguarding
Code of Conduct
Booking T&Cs
Terms of Use & Cookies
Facebook
Instagram
Bluesky
YouTube
LinkedIn
TikTok
Subscribe to our newsletter

English Folk Dance and Song Society, Cecil Sharp House, 2 Regent’s Park Road, London NW1 7AY, UK.
Tel: 020 7485 2206 | Email: [email protected] | Registered charity number 305999
Cookies: The English Folk Dance and Song Society’s websites use cookies: please read our cookie policy for more information.

© 2025 EFDSS.
Supported by Arts Council England