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PART 1 Rresistanceesistance to Sslaverylavery PART 1 RResistanceesistance to SlaverySlavery A Ride for Liberty, or The Fugitive Slaves, 1862. J. Eastman Johnson. 55.9 x 66.7 cm. Brooklyn Museum of Art, New York. “You have seen how a man was made a slave; you shall see how a slave was made a man.” —Frederick Douglass Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American slave 329 J. Eastman Johnson/The Bridgeman Art Library 0329 U3P1-845481.indd 329 4/6/06 9:00:01 PM BEFORE YOU READ Three Spirituals WHO WROTE THE SPIRITUALS? he spirituals featured here came out of the oral tradition of African Americans Tenslaved in the South before the outbreak of the Civil War. These “sorrow songs,” as they were called, were created by anonymous artists and transmitted by word of mouth. As a result, several versions of the same spiritual may exist. According Some spirituals served as encoded messages by to the Library of Congress, more than six thousand which enslaved field workers, forbidden to speak spirituals have been documented, though some are to each other, could communicate practical infor- not known in their entirety. mation about escape plans. Some typical code African American spirituals combined the tunes words included Egypt, referring to the South or the and texts of Christian hymns with the rhythms, state of bondage, and the promised land or heaven, finger-snapping, clapping, and stamping of tradi- referring to the North or freedom. To communi- tional African music. The spirituals allowed cate a message of hope, spirituals frequently enslaved Africans to retain some of the culture of recounted Bible stories about people liberated from their homelands and forge a new culture while fac- oppression through divine intervention. The spiri- ing the hardships of captive life in the United tual “Keep Your Hand on the Plow,” for example, States. Many spirituals followed a call-and- tells the story of Paul and Silas, who were released response pattern in which a leader sang the verses from prison after God sent an earthquake to free and was answered by a group of singers. The sing- them. ers often improvised the songs by changing words The spirituals were saved from obscurity after the or adding new verses. Civil War by the Jubilee Singers of Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee. To raise money for the school during a time of financial hardship, the small university choir sang spirituals to church “Every tone [in the spirituals] was a groups around the country. The Jubilee Singers testimony against slavery, and a prayer were soon in demand and eventually performed to God for deliverance from chains.” the spirituals for President Ulysses S. Grant and England’s Queen Victoria. —Frederick Douglass The spirituals became a part of American pop cul- ture, paving the way for other musical forms including blues and jazz and influencing poets such Enslaved African Americans sang spirituals both as James Weldon Johnson. When Martin Luther in worship and while laboring in the field. Many King Jr. led the march in Washington, D.C., for of the songs have a dual meaning, expressing both civil rights in March 1963, he quoted from the religious faith and a hunger for freedom. The New spiritual “Free at Last”: “You can hinder me here, York Tribune published “Go Down, Moses” after but you can’t hinder me there.” Reverend Lewis Lockwood heard African Americans singing it on September 3, 1861, and submitted the lyrics. 330 UNIT 3 THE CIVIL WAR ERA The Jacob and Gwendolyn Lawrence Foundation / Art Resource, NY 0330-0335 U3P1APP-845841.indd 330 1/9/07 1:03:30 AM LITERATURE PREVIEW READING PREVIEW Connecting to the Spirituals Reading Strategy Analyzing Historical Many people find listening to, singing, playing, or even Context composing music to be a comfort in times of stress or Understanding the context in which the spirituals were loss. As you read, think about these questions: created can help you better appreciate them. The era • Why was it important for oppressed people to create that gave birth to the spirituals was an intensely diffi- these songs? cult one for enslaved African Americans. They toiled What music do you turn to for inspiration or comfort? long hours, were barred from communicating with • each other, and were frequently threatened with vio- Building Background lence. They were also subjected to damaging stereo- For many enslaved African Americans, the situation of types about their supposed lack of intelligence and the Jews in the Bible was especially poignant. responsibility. Spirituals gave African Americans much- According to the Bible, the Jews were forced into slav- needed encouragement, information about escape, ery by a pharaoh, or ruler, of Egypt. Moses, a leader of and a chance to define themselves. In spirituals, the Jews, asked the pharaoh to free his people, warn- African Americans were depicted as the beloved chil- ing that otherwise God would send ten plagues upon dren of a just and mighty God, destined for freedom. the Egyptians. The plagues came, and the pharaoh According to travelers in the South and the slaves released the Jews. After Egyptian soldiers chased the themselves, spirituals were a fundamental part of slave Jews to the shores of the Red Sea, Moses called upon life. They were sung during worship, rest, work, and God to part the waters so his people could cross. The play. As you read the spirituals, jot down your thoughts sea rolled back for the Jews to pass but closed in on about how they reflect the hopes and beliefs of slaves. the Egyptian soldiers. When the Jews “reached the other shore,” they were free people once again. Reading Tip: Taking Notes Use a chart to record Setting Purposes for Reading your thoughts about the spirituals. Big Idea Resistance to Slavery Example from text How it reflects hope As you read, consider the role spirituals played in the African American struggle for freedom. But still my soul feels Even though life can be heavenly bound very difficult, the speaker believes his or Literary Element Refrain her soul will find joy. A refrain is a line or lines repeated in a poem or song. For example, the line “Let my people go” is repeated in every stanza of the spiritual “Go Down, Moses.” As you read, think about how the refrains in each spiritual help to emphasize a central idea. • See Literary Terms Handbook, p. R15. Interactive Literary Elements Handbook To review or learn more about the literary elements, go to www.glencoe.com. OBJECTIVES In studying this selection, you will focus on the following: • understanding the influence of historical context on a work • relating literature to a historical period • understanding the use of refrain in a poem or song THREE SPIRITUALS 331 0330-0335 U3P1APP-845841.indd 331 1/9/07 1:04:02 AM Swing low, sweet chariot, Coming for to carry me home, Swing low, sweet chariot, Coming for to carry me home. 5 I looked over Jordan1 and what did I see, Coming for to carry me home? A band of angels coming after me, Coming for to carry me home. If you get there before I do, 10 Coming for to carry me home, Tell all my friends I’m coming too; Coming for to carry me home. I’m sometimes up, I’m sometimes down, Coming for to carry me home, 15 But still my soul feels heavenly bound; Coming for to carry me home. Swing low, sweet chariot, Swing Low, Sweet Chariot,1944. William H. Johnson. Oil on board, 1 1 Coming for to carry me home, 28 /2 x 26 /2 in. National Museum of American Art, Washington, DC. Swing low, sweet chariot, 20 Coming for to carry me home. 1. Jordan refers to the Jordan River. In the Book of Exodus in the Bible, when the Jews were fleeing from slavery in Egypt, they had to cross the Jordan to reach their Promised Land. Literary Element Refrain How does the refrain func- tion in the spiritual? 332 UNIT 3 THE CIVIL WAR ERA National Museum of American Art, Washington, DC/Art Resource, NY 0332-0333 U3P1SEL-845841.indd 332 1/9/07 3:49:21 AM Hampton University Museum, Hampton, Virginia Harriet Tubman Series No. 11, 1939-40. Jacob Lawrence. Casein tempera on gessoed hardboard, 7 12 x 17 /8 in. Hampton University Museum, Hampton, VA. Go down, Moses, The Lord told Moses what to do, ’Way down in Egypt’s land; Let my people go; Tell ole Pharaoh 15 To lead the children of Israel thro’, Let my people go. Let my people go. 5 When Israel was in Egypt’s land, When they had reached the other shore, Let my people go; Let my people go; Oppressed so hard they could not stand, They sang a song of triumph o’er. Let my people go. 20 Let my people go. Thus saith the Lord, bold Moses said, Go down, Moses, 10 Let my people go; ’Way down in Egypt’s land; Let them come out with Egypt’s spoil, Tell ole Pharaoh Let my people go. Let my people go. Big Idea Resistance to Slavery How does this biblical allusion reflect the enslaved people’s desire to escape slavery? THREE SPIRITUALS 333 0332-0333 U3P1SEL-845841.indd 333 4/6/06 9:11:53 PM Mary wo’ three links of chain, Ev’ry link was Jesus’ name. Keep your hand on the plow, Hold on. CHORUS Smithsonian American Art American Museum, DC Art Smithsonian Washington, / Resource, NY 5 Hold on, hold on, Keep your hand on the plow, Hold on. Paul and Silas bound in jail,1 Had nobody for to go their bail, 10 Keep your hand on the plow, Going to Church, 1940–1941.
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