Spiritual (music)

music genre created by generations of African-Americans

Spirituals (or Negro spirituals) are the songs which were sung by the black slaves[1] in the United States in the 18th and 19th centuries.[2] More and more Africans were becoming Christian, so the words to many Negro spirituals have Christian themes.[1] They sung these spirituals as a way to cope with the pain of slavery.[1] Negro spirituals combine traditional West African musical style with the style of Christian hymns from Europe.

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  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 "African American Spirituals". Library of Congress, Washington, D.C. 20540 USA. Retrieved 2025-01-30.
  2. "U.S. Slavery: Timeline, Figures & Abolition". HISTORY. 2025-01-14. Retrieved 2025-01-30.