Jim Thomas and the Spirituals Choir at a past performance at the Union Chapel in Oak Bluffs. —File photo by Adrianne Ryan

The Spiritual Choir of the U.S. Slave Song Project presents songs sung by African slaves between 1619 and 1865. Performances are a mix of music and stories about where the slave songs came from, and what they meant to their singers. Join this Island group on Sunday, July 30, at 5:30 pm at the East Chop Lighthouse in Oak Bluffs. Director Jim Thomas will be there to give background and answer questions from listeners. Bring along a picnic, snacks, and a beach chair. For more information, visit usslavesongproject.com.