Folk Music
and
Negro Spirituals
Negro spirituals are a form of religious music created by African Americans during slavery, distinct from hymns, which are strophic compositions based on biblical scripture. These spirituals emerged during the Great Awakening of the 18th century, a period of religious revival in the American colonies. Enslaved Africans often gathered in secret, forming the Invisible Church to worship in defiance of laws forbidding their assembly without White supervision. The lyrics of spirituals often carried double meanings, offering both spiritual messages and hidden calls for freedom. Folk spirituals, the earliest form of a cappella religious music created by enslaved people, were a product of the antebellum South. A notable form of this music was the Ring Shout, which involved antiphonal singing, hand clapping, and counterclockwise dancing. Influenced by the Methodist Church and figures like John Wesley and Richard Allen(founder of the AME Church), spirituals later evolved into Arranged Concert Spirituals, developed for choir and solo performances. Key figures in this transition include H. T. Burleigh, John Work II and III, William Dawson, and Moses Hogan, whose contributions helped preserve and elevate this rich musical tradition.
One Response
I like how you explained what a ring shout is and where its origins are from. Some people tend to get them confused with field hollers which don’t have the spiritual meaning behind it.