Before Churches Had Songbooks, There Was 'Lined-Out' Gospel

𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐞-𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞 𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐭 𝐀𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐀𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐡𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲. 🎼✨ African American shape-note singing communities existed as far back as the Reconstruction Era in 1863-1877. • This tradition led to the creation of all-day singings and conventions that were central to our communities, such as the Florida-Alabama Progressive Seven Shape-Note Singing Convention, founded in 1928. • The four-part harmony style of shape-note singing is a significant trad