About Songs of Black Folk
The 2026 Show
Songs of Black Folk 2026 was a resounding success, celebrating the rich musical traditions of the African diaspora with a special Black History Month and Valentine’s Day production at the Federal Way Performing Arts and Event Center. The program featured both a 4:00pm matinee and a 7:30pm evening performance. Once again, we honored the music that began on the African continent, endured slavery, and grew into the spirituals, blues, jazz, gospel, R&B, hip-hop, and spoken word that have shaped culture worldwide.
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SBF 2026 leaned into that year’s theme, “YOU CAN’T ERASE BLACK!”, using music as a form of resistance against efforts to rewrite history and diminish the contributions of Black and marginalized communities. The evening also featured a breathtaking performance by the legendary India Arie, delivering a moment that will be remembered as one for the ages. Along with our astounding orchestra, this once in a lifetime performance created a moving experience that uplifted and inspired audiences, reaffirming the enduring power of Black art to spark change.
The Music
Songs of Black Folk (SBF) demonstrated and celebrated the evolution of African music in U.S. culture over the past four centuries within the context of the African American experience of bondage, suffering, and the struggle against oppression. SBF followed that evolution from the rise of the Negro Spirituals and their transformation into other Black musical genres including blues, jazz, Country Western, gospel, rock-n-roll, R&B, funk, hip-hop, and spoken word.
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The SBF audience experienced how all genres of African American music functioned both as tools of political resistance and as potent sources of hope for a people who had endured more than four centuries of anti-Blackness within a white supremacist society that had been relentless in its assaults on Black lives. Ultimately, the SBF experience connected the African American struggle for freedom, justice, dignity, and happiness with the struggles of other American communities who had fought their way from the margins of American society into the mainstream.
OUR MISSION
The mission of Songs of Black Folk is to provide the Pacific Northwest audience a worldclass fine arts production that features elite African American artists, both national and local. The aim of SBF is to provide a Cultural Arts experience that rivals the most elite productions presented anywhere in the United States. In essence, Songs of Black Folk is the Pacific Northwest’s opportunity to annually experience the “best of Black folk”. And by doing so, inspire the next generation of African American artists.
THE ALBUM IS HERE
Secure your piece of history by pre-ordering our exclusive vinyl album, Songs of Black Folk: Music of Resistance & Hope. Available for a limited time only, don't miss out—reserve your copy today before it's gone. This unique memorabilia is a must-have for your personal collection. Visit our online store now to place your order, and explore other specially designed merchandise!
