FARMINGTON – Calvin Earl will give a concert/lecture entitled, The Gifts From My Ancestors, from noon to 1 p.m. Friday, July 18, in Nordica Auditorium at the University of Maine at Farmington.

Earl invites his audience to experience America’s first original music created by the African-American slaves and examine the oral history within the music through the art of storytelling, singing and dancing. Earl has given one-man performances at many places including Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center for the Arts, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, as well as at many prestigious universities.

Earl writes, “In the concert you will experience America’s priceless heritage of music and oral history created by the people who were enslaved in this country; learn how they created an original music that enabled them to secretly communicate with each other, teach their young, record their history and heal their pain.”

The public is welcome to attend this special event, which is being sponsored by the Upward Bound Program at UMF. There will be no admission charge, but donations are welcome.