American Folk Music will function as an organized collection of folk songs to be used in a classroom setting organized by the story of immigration to America.

The book will adhere to Kodály music education theory, which suggests that students should learn music through the folk songs of their history and culture. Black, in particular, understands both the benefits and challenges of applying this theory to her work. 

Each unit will include songs, lessons and historical context to help elementary-aged students understand and celebrate the inherent multicultural nature of the United States. Folk music from local Native American cultures, Southern slave songs, Latin American music, Asian music, Irish music, and more will be included in the book. Of the broad inclusion of culture and ethnicity in the curriculum, Black says, “They should all have a place within American folk music - as they represent the diversity of our students that makes up our true American heritage.”

Working alongside mentors from The Ariel Bybee Endowment at the Center for Latter-day Saint Arts, Kodály-certified experts and specialized ethnomusicologists, Black will collect and organize various songs from the different cultures and verify their authenticity.

Regarding the potential impact of the book, Black shares “I hope that this curriculum will help teachers in their endeavors to teach more multicultural music in their classrooms in a practical and culturally aware manner. I also hope that this curriculum will help to expand our idea of what being American really means.”