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African American Spiritual Music: a Historical Perspective

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African American Spiritual Music: a Historical Perspective 24 THE DRAGON LODE Spring, 2000 18/2 The Dragon Lode Vol. 18 • No. 2 • Spring, 2000 ©2000 IRA Children’s Literature and Reading Special Interest Group Monica Gordon Pershey Cleveland State University, OH African American spiritual music: A historical perspective In that great gettin’ up morning and social studies and can be made applicable to Fare you well, fare you well students of all ages. When you see the forked lightning When you hear the rumbling thunder INTRODUCING CHILDREN When you see the moon a bleeding TO SPIRITUAL MUSIC When you see the well’s on fire The purpose of this article is to present a com- Fare you well, fare you well pressed history of African American spiritual mu- -Great Gettin’ Up Mornin’- sic to provide educators with an introduction to this topic. Teachers may wish to incorporate the are you well? Where might you be jour- study of spiritual music in literacy education. Con- neying? Must you leave early in the morn- nections to interactive activities built upon inquiry ing, before first light? And what sights will and discovery abound. Young children may be you watch for: a flaming moon; a bleeding engaged in activities involving play songs to learn well? What does all this mean for the trav- more about rhyming; they might also experiment Feler? with nineteenth century cooking and learn to cre- Spiritual music served as a form of commu- ate simple nineteenth century clothing, or they nication for slaves in the United States in the pre- might craft musical instruments from raw materi- civil war era. Having few possessions and even als similar to those used by slaves. Early elemen- fewer written documents, slaves had songs, stories, tary students might create an illustrated book of and dances that allowed them not only to worship spirituals, begin to discover the concept of free- but to communicate in ways other than through dom, and explore communication without using written communication. When 250 years of sla- words (signals, drums, etc.), or probe the double very ended, the predominant American culture had or hidden meanings found in some of the songs. influenced and changed the slaves, but, in return, Children might also create dioramas of plantations American popular music had taken on certain ele- and study astronomy to learn how a slave might ments of the music of slaves of African descent. “follow the drinking gourd.” Authors and illustrators of children’s books Upper elementary students might interview have revitalized spiritual music for new genera- descendants of slaves, read historical fiction, study tions of audiences. In particular Ashley Bryan, with nineteenth century American art, learn about the his books Walk Together Children: Black technology of the era, or create authentic functional American SpiritualsSpirituals, I’m Going to Sing: crafts (e.g., drinking gourds). Middle schoolers Black American SpiritualsSpirituals, and All Night, might contrast immigration with the forced migra- All Day: A Child’s First Book of African tion of slaves or study the economics of the era. American SpiritualsSpirituals, offers richly illustrated High school students might compare various gov- songbooks. Spiritual music can be used as the ba- ernmental systems that allow slavery (past and sis for a thematic unit that links literature, the arts, present), explore accounts of slavery in works of 24 African American spiritual music 25 historical fiction, or may produce a slide show or effectively literate in religious recitation. They dem- videotape on slavery, along with music and origi- onstrated literacy through the accentuation of the nal narration. musical intelligence (Gardner, 1983). Another Spiritual music is a topic that can be investi- unintended outcome of converting Africans to gated through texts of many genres. Students can Christianity through teaching them white church explore nonfiction histories of this musical form music was that some of the spirituals came to serve and read biographies of notable figures. The lyrics a dual purpose-- to worship and also to communi- of the music offer opportunities to study poetic cate or signal information about escape routes, safe imagery, form, and rhythm. Allusions to spiritual houses, and persons to trust. The songs Gospel music in fiction can also be found. Teaching stu- Train, Get on Board, Little Children, Behold That dents about African American spiritual music may Star, and This Little Light of Mine are well known help achieve many aims. In part, it may support examples of songs that gave secret messages about learning in an integrated curriculum, develop finding the way to freedom. multiple intelligences, emphasize teaching peace, Folk music, by the strictest definition, stretches social justice, and diversity, and bring speakers and continuously from a far distant past. Part of the performers into schools. African tradition meant using drums. It was the drum, particularly, that allowed the slaves to at IN TIMES OF SLAVERY times send a sort of Morse code from one planta- Aboard slave ships, some captains would either al- tion to the next. They were sending messages that low or force Africans to sing and dance to keep the masters didn’t expect, but when the masters them fit and strong. Tribes or clans were kept sepa- came to understand this, often drums were banned. rate so that they could not plan revolt. But even as The slaves drummed with their heels on wooden they sang and danced in their own languages, the floors to achieve the same loud sounds. Slaves in- slaves were united by sorrow and fear. troduced many new instruments to the United In the United States, persons who were black, States: the drum, the bones, body percussion, and slaves or free, were at times denied the right to make an instrument variously called the bania, banju, or music altogether or to make certain kinds of mu- banjar, a precursor to the banjo but with no frets. sic, such as drumming. Generally, slaves were rig- Sometimes spirituals were called sorrow songs. orously converted to Christianity. Slaves were told Slaves played them to express deep suffering, en- that it was God’s will that they serve in this life and durance, and yearning for freedom in the peaceful they were instilled with the belief that their salva- kingdom of heaven. Spirituals offered emotional tion would come in heaven. Most of the slaves release, psychic relief, and helped some slaves keep embraced the new faith that enabled them to in- up morale. They sang to lighten their burdens, re- corporate their mystical ideas about the afterlife mind one another of hope, restore their spirits, in- with their love of song. Ironically, as the crease their courage, and enjoy the little free time slaveholders’ inhumanity disgraced Christianity, they had, as in the spiritual Just Keep on Singin’. the spirituals glorified that same religion. The ballads mingled sorrow with great joy, faith in Some white Americans of the era thought the God’s love, and optimism in other worldly release. Africans weren’t capable of singing and playing Funerals, particularly, were filled with music. Part white European music. However, as the slave cul- of the solace of song came in togetherness. Church ture mingled with the Protestant culture, many was, at times, the only place slaves could legitimately spirituals came to sound similar in melody to Prot- congregate, socialize, and safely express feelings. estant hymns and certainly spoke many of the same Church was also one place they could sing songs ideas-praising the Lord, looking for salvation, etc. that had dual meanings, such as Deep River, which However, the tribal rhythms transformed the staid, was used to plan meetings to discuss escape. Wade quiet hymns into new songs with rhythm and depth. in the Water meant that a slave’s absence had been The loudness, rhythm, and intonation were some- discovered. Singing the song would spread the thing that the whites had never heard before. word to other plantations in hopes that the run- At a time when standards of literacy for most away would hear it, know the bloodhounds were of the populace meant recitation (but not neces- after his[her] scent, and travel by water to hide any sarily reading) of the Bible, and although slaves scent and tracks. were usually denied the right to read and write, Spirituals were often interactive songs, using their ability to sing about Christianity made them call and response singing. A leader sings a main 26 THE DRAGON LODE Spring, 2000 18/2 verse, the call, and a group sings the response. An viously unheard by Anglo-Saxon ears. Neverthe- individual might make up a new verse, to be an- less, it was entertainment, not art; only European swered by the group’s chorus. This impromptu music was considered art. musical form was perfect for sending news and The slave bands inspired the minstrel shows. updated messages in the struggle toward emanci- Half a century or more before vaudeville, white pation. Slaves also sang call and response songs as musicians began to borrow from black music. work songs, which resembled the English and Irish Minstrel shows featured white men who smeared “chanteys.” Here, again, groups working in fields, burnt cork on their faces and sang and danced to in stables or loading wagons at market places might African-inspired tunes. No blacks were allowed to have a chance to send messages. Other songs, such perform or attend performances. Minstrels per- as Scandalize My Name or You Fight On were sung formed skits, musical comedies, and popular bal- to teach social relations, character development, lads. In the 1830s-60s minstrelsy was in its hey- and how to relate to others. Some songs, such as day. Performers used banjo, bones, dance, and imi- John Henry, glorified heroic figures.
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