An excerpt from the NY Times -
About That Song You’ve Heard, Kumbaya
By John Eligon
We chant it with locked arms and closed eyes, at campfires, in protests lines and from the pews at church, but the truth is, many of us have no clue what the lyrics mean or exactly where they come from.
Kumbaya my Lord, kumbaya. Kumbaya my Lord, kumbaya.
Thanks to research and lobbying by residents of a coastal community descended from slaves, the origins and meaning of “Kumbaya” have been recognized in Congress, raising hopes that a fading culture might get a boost. The song may be sung more often than usual this month, especially in the part of Georgia where its soulful lyrics are said to have originated almost a century ago.
Speaking on the House floor two months ago, Representative Buddy Carter of Georgia recognized the Gullah Geechee, whose ancestors were brought to America’s southeastern coast from West Africa, as the probable creators of the famous folk song.
https://www.nytimes.com/newsletters/2018/02/10/race-related?nlid=38867499
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