In a nutshell, a Negro spiritual is actually a worship song that was created by the African slaves when these people were captured by the Americans and the British. The term came out when many slaves were mistreated by their colonizers and many have longed to be free. Here is a brief history on how these kinds of songs came to be.
Now the Africans first learned about this term from the Bible as the Bible kept on talking about singing praises and spiritual songs to God. Since the black slaves did not have a personality of their own at that time, they only followed what their masters told them to do. The slaves even adapted the religion of their colonizers and soon every slave was converted to Christianity.
Of course when the Africans first reached the land of their colonizers, they still carried on their usual African rituals and religious practices even though the colonizers discouraged them from doing so. Since their oppressors were becoming more and more wary of these activities, they banned these religious ceremonies. It was then that the Africans had to continue their rituals in secret.
Eventually, the colonizers became even stricter with regard to religion and banned all of these so called Pagan rituals. Anyone who disobeyed were killed in public and be used an example. When the black slaves finally converted to Christianity, they still used the same beats and rhythm that they used for their old rituals but on Christian hymns instead.
Of course this did not stop the slaves from using their own type of music even though they were singing Christian worship songs. In fact, they even made really upbeat dance songs known as spiritual shouts. Whenever the Africans would play this kind of song, many people would gather around and dance to the catchy beat while shouting. This was a way of saying that they will continue to express themselves their own way even though they have a different belief.
With regard to lyrical content, spirituals from the black community did differ from that of the white community. Not only did their lyrics include praising and worshipping to the Lord, but even stories about their hardships as a slave. In a sense, it was like a prayer to God to deliver them from tribulation.
Many authors actually claimed that these songs contained hidden messages to help slaves release themselves from their masters. Apparently, the song writers even wrote coded directions and instructions that would help all of the slaves escape the country. These songs were also often used as propaganda to their colonizers.
So after seeing the entire history of the Negro spiritual, everyone can see how it affects the African Americans today. Now based on the history, one can see that Negro spirituals actually came from the ritual songs. It is through this medium that they rebelled against their colonizers because of the unfair treatment. Even though they were brought to another land, they will never let go of their identity and culture.
Now the Africans first learned about this term from the Bible as the Bible kept on talking about singing praises and spiritual songs to God. Since the black slaves did not have a personality of their own at that time, they only followed what their masters told them to do. The slaves even adapted the religion of their colonizers and soon every slave was converted to Christianity.
Of course when the Africans first reached the land of their colonizers, they still carried on their usual African rituals and religious practices even though the colonizers discouraged them from doing so. Since their oppressors were becoming more and more wary of these activities, they banned these religious ceremonies. It was then that the Africans had to continue their rituals in secret.
Eventually, the colonizers became even stricter with regard to religion and banned all of these so called Pagan rituals. Anyone who disobeyed were killed in public and be used an example. When the black slaves finally converted to Christianity, they still used the same beats and rhythm that they used for their old rituals but on Christian hymns instead.
Of course this did not stop the slaves from using their own type of music even though they were singing Christian worship songs. In fact, they even made really upbeat dance songs known as spiritual shouts. Whenever the Africans would play this kind of song, many people would gather around and dance to the catchy beat while shouting. This was a way of saying that they will continue to express themselves their own way even though they have a different belief.
With regard to lyrical content, spirituals from the black community did differ from that of the white community. Not only did their lyrics include praising and worshipping to the Lord, but even stories about their hardships as a slave. In a sense, it was like a prayer to God to deliver them from tribulation.
Many authors actually claimed that these songs contained hidden messages to help slaves release themselves from their masters. Apparently, the song writers even wrote coded directions and instructions that would help all of the slaves escape the country. These songs were also often used as propaganda to their colonizers.
So after seeing the entire history of the Negro spiritual, everyone can see how it affects the African Americans today. Now based on the history, one can see that Negro spirituals actually came from the ritual songs. It is through this medium that they rebelled against their colonizers because of the unfair treatment. Even though they were brought to another land, they will never let go of their identity and culture.
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