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Rainbow Round My Shoulder
Hardcover
Mythology & FolkloreBlack American StudiesRegional: South
ISBN13: 9781025936697
Publisher: Tradd Street Press
Published: Feb 14 2026
Pages: 340
Weight: 1.44
Height: 0.81 Width: 6.14 Depth: 9.21
Language: English
Rainbow Round My Shoulder is a groundbreaking blend of sociology, folklore, and narrative that offers an intimate portrait of the Black Ulysses, a wandering laborer traversing the American South in the early 20th century. Through the eyes of this nomadic protagonist, Howard W. Odum captures the vibrant and often harsh realities of African American life during a period of profound social transition. The work is celebrated for its rich documentation of folk traditions, integrating hundreds of song fragments, blues lyrics, and spirituals into a rhythmic prose that echoes the cadence of the road.
This compelling narrative serves as both a literary achievement and a vital historical record of the blue-trail wanderer. Odum explores themes of migration, labor, and the resilient spirit of a culture expressed through oral storytelling and music. By focusing on the individual experiences of a man living on the fringes of society, Rainbow Round My Shoulder provides unique insights into the secular and sacred traditions that shaped the Southern landscape. It remains an essential text for readers interested in the intersection of American literature, social science, and the profound depth of Black folk culture.
This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you may see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.
This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.
As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
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