Michael Row Your Boat Ashore

[lukegilly13]

I'm working on a lesson plan for teaching about slavery. I ran across an example of a lesson plan thatat involved teaching through music and it suggested "Michael Row Your Boat Ashore." I see some documentation that it probably was a slave song

http://treasuryislands.wordpress.com/2012/03/07/origins-michael-row-the-boat-shore/

But, do we know if it was used to communicate directions or means for escape? I'm particularly interested in songs that were used to teach something or perhaps used to encourage escape... I'm hoping to find something familiar to the average kid. Any music oriented folks out there have a suggestion?

[DeBruhl]

Re: Michael Row Your Boat Ashore

Hello,

I cannot help with the particular song you are asking about, but I would like to offer another you may want to look into. I would suggest, 'Follow The Drinking Gourd'. I have heard it was first published in the late 1920's, but it is supposably a song passed among slaves directing them on their escape to freedom.

I will look through some of my stuff and see if I can locate anything else.