The Power Of The Negro Spirituals

By Bridgette Conway


Numerous types of music, that emerged from Black neighborhoods of the United States have filtered through into the rest of our world. The Negro spirituals are, however, the principal type that had significant influence. It created the foundation of a wide range of music categories that exists today.

Some of these genres that were influenced by these spirituals are soul, ragtime, rhythm and blues, rock and roll, jazz, rap and more significantly gospel. The music originated from long before the Civil War.

Slaves made use of these compositions to help them in making their work lighter and also in the helping many slaves to escape. The tunes resembled spiritual tunes. It, therefore, became part of the Christian religion with which the slaves later associated. They continued to use these as part of the expression of their faith.

The music was merged with stories from the Bible and the words became part of these songs. It represented their faith, salvation, hope and freedom. At the same time, it gave expression to their torment and distress at being enchained in slavery.

When these songs were sung, it sounded as though it had no meaning to the rest of our world. The truth is that it was meant as a personal expression and had profound meaning to those who sang it. It had to do with the deep desire to be set free from the slavery they were in.

The outcomes of music from the slave era have remained an essential part of people of African-American descent. The rap scene continues to emulate their distress and dissatisfaction through their statements. Its profoundly speaking of the modern "slavery" and continues in the vein of being set free.

Certain people have the perceived idea that these tunes was an expression of fulfillment and happiness. Individuals who do not have a deeper knowledge would view these songs as such. It does not, however, diminish the incredible beauty of the melodies.

These musical performances have been and have become an integral part of African-American people and their heritage. Most of the rhythms and the tunes have an African root as these people have been brought across from this continent as slaves. The reason also for this fact is that the words had Biblical content, in that most of the English words were taken from the Bible.

The tunes were not bound by space, place or time. The places where the songs were sung were gathering rooms, cotton fields, recital halls, work camps as well as at churches. This was later expanded into clubs and bars.

The tunes were merged into additional fields such as social battles and in particular the civil rights movement. These songs were therefore a very serious and integral part of history. The entire whole development produced various great singers, bands and teams. It had been a particularly powerful method within which this form of expression was used.

The contribution of Negro spirituals to the world of music is undeniable. It does not matter what its background, its influence is wide. What makes it even more powerful is that it evokes the desire to know a history that many would like to forget.




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