My Darling Nelly Gray, a traditional folk song, sung by Pat Cummings

My Darling Nelly Gray

sung and played by Patricia L. Cummings

Slaves picking cotton in Georgia - Library of Congress

Slaves picking cotton in Georgia cotton field. Courtesy of Library of Congress

An abolitionist sympathizer iterates a fictitious, but believable story in this nineteenth century folk song about a Black woman being kidnapped into slavery.

I first heard this song played and sung by a gentleman at an outdoor musical event of historical folk music at the New Hampshire Historical Society/ Museum of New Hampshire History. The words of the song are so poignant, I wanted to learn it, too.

Quilter's Muse Publications, Concord, NH. pat@quiltersmuse.com