"This deeply researched book explores the life and music of folk legend Lead Belly within the context of the Jim Crow era. The work will appeal to a range of audiences, from Lead Belly fans and historians to readers interested in civil rights, mass incarceration, and the power of narrative"--

Sheila Curran Bernard is an Emmy and Peabody Award-winning filmmaker, author, and educator. The recipient of an NEH Public Scholars award, Bernard is an associate professor in the Department of History at the University at Albany, State University of New York.

Introduction; 1. Encounter at Angola; 2. Two men from Texas; 3. On the road; 4. 1915: The State of Texas v. Huddie Ledbetter; 5. Frayed nerves; 6. 1918: The State of Texas v. Walter Boyd; 7. Northern debut; 8. Contracts; 9. 1930: The State of Louisiana v. Huddie Ledbetter; 10. The end of the road; Epilogue.