Spirituals: A Great Way of Performing? Or Another Spectacle for White People?

A Great Way of Performing? Or Another Spectacle for White People? The Fisk Jubilee singers are one of the most famous examples of a group that brought attention to Negro Spirituals. But did the group’s formation lead to further commodification of the Black body and new commodification of the Negro spiritual?  Note, this is just […]

Negro Spirituals: The Great Awakening and The Invisible Church

Negro Spirituals originated from the hearts, minds, and souls of Africans who were captured and soon after sold into slavery. As a result of being stripped away from their land and being sold, many Africans were robbed of their cultures, families, and languages. The one thing that the slaves held on to that could never […]

Negro Spirituals: Evidence of the Stead-fast African-American Spirit

Negro Spirituals: Evidence of the Stead-fast African-American Spirit Lila Gilliam Negro Spirituals are the religious and expressive music of African-Americans during slavery; they exemplified Christian religious values and allowed creative expression for the enslaved ancestors and even Black artists and musicians today. Because of its historical longevity, the Negro Spiritual is a testament to the […]

The Hidden Meaning Behind Your Favorite Negro Spiritual

Previous Next Modern day society’s art expression had practical uses for our ancestors. For example, cornrows are rumored to be used as maps or food storage for the survival of the enslaved. In a sense, music was used in a similar way. Music and religion were an integral part of everyday life in Africa. Christianity was […]

Negro Spirituals

Negro Spirituals Trinity Burnett        Starting as early as 1619, negro spirituals were used to convey Christian values while also incorporating hardships of slavery amongst African Americans. The spirituals expressed that one day, whether in this life or the afterlife, that they would be set free from the chains of slavery. Many of […]