« What's the role of religious songs for the African-American in the United States ? »
Introduction
Nowadays, music takes an important place in our society, it's the only one artistic movement which can strengthen populations. We can remember that at the biginning of the last century, the African Americans were considered as a lower race. They were the slaves of White population. Little by little, they integrate themselves into the american society and music is the meaning to express themselves. In the 21 century, Gospel is one of the most famous kind of music.
In a first part, we will study religious songs in the United States. In a second part, we will talk about religious songs' impact on the African Americans society, in the United States.
I. Religious songs' evolution in the United States
A) Negro Spirituals
Negro spirituals are religious songs (generally christian) that were created by Africans who arrived in the New World. Most of them were slaves who had to work in towns or in plantations like cotton fields as we can see on the first picture. Negro spirituals songs appeared at the beginning of the nineteenth century.The slaves used to stay after their work services for singing and dancing but slaveholders didn't allow them to play drums and to dance during their works. They can't do what they want as they used to do in Africa. Consequently, they had to organise meetings at secret places because they needed to share their joys, pains and hopes. During these meetings, all the slaves who were gathered listened to preachers and sang spirituals songs, for hours. These songs express the whole drama of African population who are sold to work in theplantations. So, spirituals songs are used to be sang in the plantations but also during the meetings, outside of churches.
The lyrics of Negro Spirituals songs were linked with the lives of slaves, the authors of these songs. So, negro spirituals songs were inspired by Jesus Christ and the Holy.
Negro spirituals songs are different from hymns because there were created to show to the listeners the hard conditions of living when you are a slave.
Singing negro spirituals songs during their working time is a way to coordinate their efforts. They could sing when they had to transport a fallen tree or others heavy loads for example.
B) Gospel
Gospel appeared at the beginning of the 20th century. Gospel is more lively, modern and dynamic than Negro Spirituals. Gospel took its place.
The word gospel comes from the old-english « god-spell », meaning « good news ». Contrary to what one might think, Gospel isn't only a kind of music, it's also a Christian Holy Book. Gospel is the outcome of the cross-fertilizaton between african music and occidental music. This kind of song is composed of three types of voices (tenor, baritone and bass), that are accompanied by music instruments (piano, guitar and organ mainly). Since 1870, gospel has a very good rythm. Indeed, the singers clap their hands and move their bodies. They can even scream ! The mass isn't austere yet, it lives ! Therefore, the believers are encouraged to participate during the mass. They become actor of the religious ceremony. Gospel has free personality, it's more representative of black religious music than Negro Spirituals.
This kind of music is a revolt against the racism in the United States. It's the meaning to express their pain because the African American are excluded from the american society. It is segregation. We will improve its topic in the second part.
Gospel has changed a lot during all these years. Indeed, nowadays, Gospel isn't only sung during the mass weekly. We can attend « gospel marriage » where the traditional nuptial march is remplaced with Gospel's rythms. In another register, we can also attend to Gospel concerts.
Moreover, we find Gospel all around the world and not only in the United States !
II. Religious songs' impacts on the African American population in the United States
A) Social emancipation
Since forever, Black people suffer of the domination of White people. The slave trade was a human market.
African crossed the Atlantic Ocean to work in cotton fields in the United States. They have been uprooted from their country, mainly Senegal and Angola. By religious songs, they were able to preserve their culture and remain united.
In spite of the ill-treatment, they continued to sing. It was the meaning to show to White population that they were differents but they were proud of this difference. Negro-Spirituals was born. The slavery was abolished in 1865, in the United States. But meanwhile, Klu Klux Klan and segregation appeared.
It was the beginning of a long time of pain for the African-American. The Klu Klux Klan was a secrete society founded in the southern United States after the Civil War (1865). The Klu Klux Klan had as objective the fight against Black people. The KKK was officially dissolved in 1869. There was a second Klu Klux Klan who disappeared in 1944. Segregation is the result of separation of people according to criterion related to race, customs and beliefs.
During segregation, African Americans are going to be victims of much wickedness and their way of life is changed. They will be unable to take the same bus as the White population, ... Negro Spirituals music is no longer adapted to express their revolt, the Black population creates the gospel in 1920-1930. In spite of this event, African Americans have remained united by music and their faith. Therefore, Gospel is a mixture of both. Gospel with real fervor, record labels appear. In the 1960s, laws authorizing segregation were abolished thanks to the struggle of a figurehead: Martin Luther King. Gospel has permitted to the African-American to take their emancipation without renying their origins.
B) Integration into society
In the United states, slavery was abolished in 1865. But in many states and especially in the south, African-American were victim of a racial segregation. They were forbidden to vote, to mix them with the White population in public places and many were assassinated. Progressively, a job action for civil rights is developping particularly leaded by Martin Luther King. This job action resulted to the abolition of segregation in 1964.
After their evangelism, the African-American population, adopted religious songs and put their exotic culture into, to do the same as the Spirituals.
Gospel permited to the African-American community to assert themself in churches at the first time as we can see on the second picture.
The election of a Black president in 2008, Barack Obama, had etablished a high symbol of the integration of African-American population in the american society. Indeed, it's the first time in America's history that a President comes from ethnics minorities.
Also, a Black american woman became an important member of american media landscape : Oprah Winfrey ! Moreover, Oprah Winfrey is a fervent supporter of Barack Obama. A study estimated, she permitted to bring one more million votes to the Democrat party, during the presidentials in 2008. She became the most influential woman of her generation.
So, religious songs had always played an important part in this movement of integration.
Conclusion :
Black people came to the United States as slave. But today, thanks to religious songs, they are emancipated and integrated into the American society. Negro Spirituals allowed slaves from Africa, to support their work in industries and cotton fields. But it was especially their religious song wich permitted them to remain united. Over time, Negro Spirituals has been replaced by Gospel. In fact, Gospel is more modern and more rhythmic than its predecessor.
Nowadays, African-American impact is reflected in new styles of music but also in other artistic circles.