Negro Spirituals: The Music That Helped Free Enslaved African Americans | ABJ Clip

One of the largest and most significant forms of American folksongs, the Negro spiritual, has a long history in America, but how do these religious songs relate to the music heard in the Black church today? "American Black Journal" continues its "Black Church in Detroit" series with a look at the history of Negro spirituals and gospel music, and the influence these two genres have had on contemporary artists.

Producer AJ Walker talks with Dr. Brandon Waddles, a composer, arranger, choir director and music instructor at Wayne State University, about how Negro spirituals uplifted enslaved Africans brought to this country and how it served as a universal language that helped lead them to freedom. Plus, they discuss R&B singers, past and present, whose musical roots stemmed from the Black Church.

American Black Journal: Episode 5026/Segment 1

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