Happy Independence Day! On this important national holiday in the US, today's Beautiful Musicis the 1939 American patriotic cantata BALLAD FOR AMERICANS. It's sung by the incomparable bass-baritone Paul Robeson. Learn more about this composition, and about the singer, actor, and athlete Paul Robeson.
Beautiful Music NOW - Ballad for Americans
![Paul Robeson 1942](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/42b6daa/2147483647/strip/true/crop/600x748+0+0/resize/880x1097!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F6b%2F10%2Ff98c484d4292afd43e7fb0d6857e%2Fpaul-robeson-1942-crop-credit-gordon-parks-e1688066185606.jpg)
Gordon Parks