Musician, storyteller, and educator Reggie Harris brings an uplifting concert of songs and stories about the Underground Railroad, one of the most important chapters in American History. Join us for this program celebrating the quest for freedom and holiday joy, as Harris shares how the winter holidays offered a moment of hope — and a rare opportunity to escape — for enslaved people.
Although this is an advanced subject matter, the program is appropriate for grade school children. Ages 6+.
Looking for a sensory-friendly listening experience? Catch the 4:00pm performance, which has been specially designed for those who are neurodivergent, have sensory sensitivities, or just need a bit more space to enjoy the music.
Internationally acclaimed performer Reggie Harris is a deeply rooted singer, songwriter, storyteller, and cultural ambassador known worldwide for his ability to inspire hope and create opportunities for building community and positive change.
A powerful interpreter of song and history, Harris’ 40-plus years as a musician and educator have kept him on the road presenting over 300 concerts and lectures per year at arts centers, universities, schools, and music and story festivals throughout the U.S., Canada, and Europe. His travels also connect him to a variety of faith and worship communities and centers of ecumenical intersection in work that brings people together in song and dialogue.
As a teaching artist in the Kennedy Center’s CETA program (Changing Education Through the Arts), Harris has focused on the role of music in the history of Underground Railroad and as the source for inspiration and motivation in the ongoing struggles of the Modern Civil Rights Movement. He is presently a Woodrow Wilson Scholar in the Independent College Lecture Program and serves as Co-President and Director of Music for the Living Legacy Project, an organization that leads civil rights pilgrimages through the south and hosts seminars on voting and human rights to educate and inspire participation and reform.
Harris is a recipient of the W.E.B. Du Bois legacy award for his contribution to the principles of equality promoted by W.E.B. Du Bois. He has also received the Spirit of Folk award by Folk Alliance International.
Harris’ newest CD On Solid Ground landed as #3 in the Top Songs of February 2021. His recordings Ready To Go (the #5 CD on the US Folk DJ charts in 2018) and Deeper Than the Skin (a 2020 collaboration with friend and fellow musician Greg Greenway) were received with great critical acclaim. Both recordings address issues of human rights and our need to heal racial and national divisions that threaten our relationships in the healing of our people and our planet.
Harris embodies the spirit of mentors and friends Pete Seeger and Dr. Bernice Johnson Reagon as he blends themes of life and hope in his songs and in his every day.
To learn more about Reggie Harris, please visit his website.
Health & Safety
We’re committed to maintaining the health and safety of our audience, artists, and staff, while ensuring that every visit to Caramoor is comfortable and enjoyable. Click below for up-to-date health and safety policies as well as information on how we’re playing our part.