Sacred Harp singing is a non-denominational community musical event emphasizing participation, not performance.
Singers sit facing inward in a hollow square.
The singing is not accompanied by harps or any other instrument. The group sings from The Sacred Harp , an oblong songbook first published in 1844 by B.F. White and E. J. King. The current 1991 Edition contains many songs in these styles by living composers. This style of singing stems from singing schools in the colonial period. North Mississippi is fortunate to have traditional all-day singings within easy driving distance.