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 only introduced to the enslaved because slave masters disagreed with their beliefs and way of worship, explaining Negro spirituals basis around biblical characters and places.
Death and escape were extreme forms of resistance compared to small acts of rebellion such as work slow downs or breaking tools. The popular negro spiritual “Steal Away” contains a double meaning referring to both extreme forms of resistance. Verse 1 says “my Lord he calls me, He calls me by the thunder…I ain’t got long to stay here,” translating death and heaven as better means than bondage. Steal Away was also used by leaders such as Harriet Tubman and Nat Turner to gather those who wished to escape to freedom. As a known leader, Tubman adopted the nickname Moses, using the spiritual Go Down Moses on her journey through the underground railroad to identify herself to the enslaved that wished to escape.
To us, what may just be a cute hairstyle or moving song meant so much more to our ancestors.

Jubilee Quartets in the World of HBCUs
Jubilee Quartets in the World of HBCUs What is a Jubilee Quartet? There is much scpeculation regarding where the Jubilee Quartet originated from, but it

Jubilee Quartets Impact on HBCUs
Background of Jubilee Quartets First Sight of Jubilee in HBCUs When we think of Jubilee Quartets, we would usually think of a four member group

The Golden Gate Quartet
The Golden Gate Quartet Previous Next Quick History Jubilee quartets have roots stemming from the Fisk Jubilee Singers, formed in 1871. This group banded together

Jubilee Quartet
Significant in Silence: Wheat Street Female Quartet By: Demi Browder Who is Wheat Street? The Wheat Street Female Quartet is an all female group that

The Black Church
The Black Church The Difference Between Spirituals and Gospels Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar

The Intertwining of Jubilee and Gospel
The most popular form of group singing since the start of the Twentieth Century is secular and religious quartet singing. Black quartet arrangements continue to