American Railroad - Ep 2 New York

Embark on American Railroad, a five-episode podcast hosted by Rhiannon Giddens that seeks to right historical wrongs by highlighting the untold stories and unheard voices from the diverse communities that built America’s railway systems.

Next stop: Hell’s Kitchen, a New York City neighborhood historian Miriam Nyhan describes as transformed by immigration and expansion of the state’s railroad boom. Despite tensions between Black and Irish railroad workers, living and laboring side-by side created a distinctly American sound. Musicians Lenwood “Leni” Sloan, and Silkroad Ensemble member Maeve Gilchrist use music to capture the energy and urgency of the time in their workshop with New York’s Irish Arts Center.

Founded by Yo-Yo Ma, Silkroad is both a touring ensemble comprised of world-class musicians from all over the globe, and a social impact organization working to make a positive impact across borders through the arts. To find out more about Silkroad's American Railroad - the album, the tour, the TV series and the podcast, go to silkroad.org/american-railroad.

Listen to all episodes of American Railroad from Silkroad and PRX on your favorite podcast platform.