Answer to Question #271050 in History for Constance Dineo Ma

Question

Examine the role of Negro Spirituals in North American slavery.

Answer 1

The negro spiritual, which originated in slavery, was a representation of African-American difficulties and forced servitude, as well as a statement of Christian religious ideals formed by their experiences. This style differed from the hymns that Europeans had introduced to slaves. It is crucial to note, however, that spirituals are not hymns. The cultural memory of African-Americans was crucial to the survival of negro spirituals, which catered to the needs of disenfranchised people, despite the fact that they were not conquered or destroyed during this period of hatred and turbulence. The spiritual, in this sense, signified freedom and the need for slaves to express themselves and how they felt while living in a foreign nation.

Because it's impossible to pinpoint the exact year when negro spirituals began, historians attribute them to a black collective rather than a single person. Slave narratives show that they were divinely inspired. Spirituals for black people have a greater meaning in society. Spirituals were about challenges as well as Christian faith. "Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Had," or "Nobody Knows the Trouble I've Seen," is a great example of this. However, negro spirituals have religious roots. Prior to the Great Awakening, few slaves were Christians. Despite the fact that colonization brought the spread of Christianity, efforts to convert slaves were stymied due to language hurdles, slave resistance, and slave owners who sought Christianity for themselves. However, a personal experience-based conversion strategy elicited a strong response from the black masses, and many slaves were converted.

Negro spirituals introduced a new type of religious expression and laid the groundwork for modern forms of religious expression, such as Christian music, rock, or gospel, to name a few. Many negro spirituals feature a call-and-response pattern, as does gospel. The problem with gospel music, as with all music today, is that it may be commodified and made for profit. Profit was not a factor in the creation of these songs in the past. Instead, it's purely a necessity to produce them, as well as a way for many African-Americans to express their concerns.