In ‘A Chance to Harmonize: How FDR’s Hidden Music Unit Sought to Save America from the Great Depression—One Song at a Time’, author and music scholar Sheryl Kaskowitz reveals a fascinating, long-forgotten chapter of American history. Released by Pegasus Books, the narrative follows the Music Unit of the 1930s, a government initiative led by figures like Charles Seeger and Margaret Valiant. This group traveled to federal homesteads across Appalachia and the rural South, recording over 800 folk songs to boost morale and foster a sense of cooperative identity among those devastated by the economic collapse. Though the program was eventually shuttered by a conservative Congress wary of its “socialistic” leanings, Kaskowitz argues that its efforts effectively laid the foundation for the 1960s folk revival and the careers of icons like Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger.
Drawing on previously unreleased archival materials and the unit’s complete collection of field recordings, Kaskowitz provides an intimate look at how music was weaponized as a tool for social cohesion. The book highlights the work of Sidney Robertson, who captured the raw sounds of a struggling nation, and illustrates how the Roosevelt administration viewed cultural heritage as an essential resource for national recovery. By exploring this “undiscovered chapter,” ‘A Chance to Harmonize’ offers a poignant reflection on the power of song to provide hope and belonging during the darkest periods of the American experience, making it an essential read for history buffs and musicologists alike.
