FAQ About The Influence of African American Spirituals on Soul Music
What is the historical context in which African American spirituals developed?
African American spirituals developed during the enslavement of African Americans in the United States from the 17th to the 19th centuries. Under oppressive conditions, enslaved individuals used spirituals as a form of resistance, identity preservation, and a means of covert communication. These songs drew on African rhythms, melodic structures, and Christian themes introduced by missionaries and slaveholders.
