Folk singers Magpie inspired music at Minerva Central School

MINERVA | From Oct. 20 to 24, John Brown Lives! facilitated a teaching artist residency with folk duo and musical historians Greg Artzner and Terry Leonino of Magpie at the Minerva Central School. With the help of music teacher Kate Smith, her colleagues Ms. Ordway, Ms. Gosselin, Ms. Galusha, and Ms. Millington, as well as Joyce Tuffey and Sharon Stone from the Minerva Historical Society, Magpie worked with the fourth, fifth, and sixth grade classes to write a song about the life of Solomon Northup, a violinist, farmer, and landowner who was born free in Minerva, kidnapped, and enslaved in Louisiana. Northup's freedom was eventually proven and he was liberated, and he chronicled his experiences in "Twelve Years a Slave." Fourth graders at the Minerva Central School relied upon factual accounts of Northup's life to write their song, "Rivers of Justice." Prior to the residency, the class took a field trip to visit the Minerva Historical Marker, Fort Edward, and Wesley Wofford's sculpture of Solomon Northup, Hope Out of Darkness, temporarily on display at Saratoga Spa State Park. They were also introduced to Solomon North through Clifford Oliver Mealy's one-man dramatization of Northup's life and legacy while at Spa Park. The residency came to a close with a student performance of "Rivers of Justice" for the school community. "What an amazing week!," commented Music teacher Kate Smith. "The kids were engaged and invested throughout the residency. They worked really hard and had a blast! I have heard them singing 'Rivers of Justice' throughout the halls ever since." Students described their experience as "exciting, fun, and interesting" and added that they "enjoyed learning from the past, and hope to make the world a better place." To hear a recording of "Rivers of Justice" or inquire about bringing Magpie into your school for a teaching artist residency, contact info@johnbrownlives.org. The John Brown Lives! Waterways to Freedom project was made possible through the generous support of the Lake Champlain Basin Program's 2025 CVNHP Artist in Residence Grant. Read more by visiting these webpages: johnbrownlives.org/waterways-to-freedom-with-magpie and minervahistoricalsociety.org/solomon-northup. For more information, contact JBL! at info@johnbrownlives.org or 518-744-7112.

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Folk singers Magpie inspired music at Minerva Central School

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