Negro spirituals play a huge role in the African American history and have had an influence on african american music, negro spirituals are the foundation of todays music. Negro Spirituals were a way to alleviate the pain and suffering of our people and create an arena of peace through singing. Negro Spirituals were generally sung by the enslaved while working hard labor and within the black community to remind them to stay strong. Once christianity was forced on to the African community, they reconstructed it as their own which influenced the development of negro spirituals and strengthened the meaning behind their songs. Even today Negro Spirituals are sung and play a vital role in African American churches throughout the United States by the oral traditions of passing them down generation to generation.
I think that negro spirituals are a major part of Black history because this form of music was a form of healing during slavery. Although slavery was centuries ago, I am still knowledgeable about negro spirituals as an African American. Through negro spirituals Blacks had an outlet to overcome the oppression they faced. Negro spirituals also brought African Americans closer together because of their shared experience as slaves. Even today, negro spirituals unite African Americans from all walks of life through its embodiment of Black history and struggles. It can be argued that negro spirituals are the foundation of gospel music which is a major part of Christianity. I believe that negro spirituals also convey the healing and uniting power that music possesses.
