His Truth Is Marching On: A Musical Documentary Film

American music history from 1619 to Hip Hop, told through the Civil War song, “John Brown’s Body”

This project began as a late-stage COVID community art project launched through Culture 4 A Cause, a NW Connecticut nonprofit you may have heard of. Today, it is officially public art.

We recorded a Civil War song about John Brown as a way to build community art and community pride and to promote equality, basically.

The song turned into a video, and the video turned into a musical documentary film.

We did this to say out loud that equality matters. Originally, we said it during the social justice movement driven by George Floyd’s murder. In support of a positive movement growing out of a horrific event.

Since then, we’ve seen a tremendous wave of backlash, just like in other times in history where social progress has been made. So, nowadays, I say out loud that equality matters because people are under attack daily. They're under attack because of who they are, how they look, who they love.

And that’s wrong. I believe that people are people, and they deserve dignity and respect for the simple fact that they exist.

This film explores the causes and effects of each type of American music to blossom in the rich soil that African and Indigenous American people developed through drums, voice, and playing with a pentatonic scale.

Simply put, the world owes a great debt to African American musicians for literally every type of popular music since the American Civil War.

BACKSTORY —

In early 2020, Culture 4 A Cause, a NWCT Nonprofit, spearheaded an initiative to produce a song, music video, and documentary film for “John Brown’s Body,” the song that became “Battle Hymn of the Republic,” as a way to promote equality in Torrington, CT.

Torrington is the birthplace of John Brown, an important abolitionist who inspired the song, which was popular among Union soldiers. Brown was a relentless antagonist to the institution of slavery, and his views were learned in Torrington.

Dan explains the project: what, how, and why.

His Truth Is Marching On Film and Music credits

Musicians, in order of appearance:

Clifton Matias (Kichwa/Taino) (Flute)

Rev Angaza Mwando (djembe)

Enzo (vocals, Chorus Angelicus)

Guy Wolff (banjo)

Barbara McGavern (vocals)

Torrington High School Marching Band

Chorus Angelcus’ Gaudeamus
(bass/tenor quintet)

Charles Bickford (guitar)

Ysanne Marshal (vocals)

Johnny Davis (piano)

Mick Connolly (bass and drums)

Chorus Angelicus (full choir)

Darlene Battle (vocals)

Keith Leak & New Mercies (vocals)

Lucinda Rowe (vocals)

Mick Connolly (vocals, guitar, bass, and drums)

Jacque Williams (vocals, rap)

Peter Pobuda (rap)

Enzo (vocals, Chorus Angelicus)

Partial funding provided by:

The Connecticut Office of the Arts

The National Endowment for the Arts

City of Torrington

Torrington Savings Bank

Toth Insurance Agency

Individual Financial Contributors:

Nora Sullivan

Mary Leblanc

Rachel Harrel

Thompzin Tilley

Jennine Lupo

Daniel Yanok

Anonymous (x8)

Tinsley Morrison

Chris Weydeveld

Annelieke Schauer

Nancy McMillan

Mary Parker

Margaret Capen

Nancy Weitz

Stephanie Barksdale

Daniel Morrison