 Hidden Codes in the Songs of the Oppressed

Spirituals are folk songs that originated amongst enslaved and oppressed African Americans in the 1800s. They contain:  Religious and social content  Took the forms of anthems, ballads, shouts and jubilees  Created to help slaves endure and persevere under the physical and psychological pressures of their daily lives  Reflected singer’s pain, yearning for freedom, and rage against slavery as a whole

 Plantation owners encouraged their slaves to sing in the fields. They believed if they were focused on singing, they would be less likely to rebel.  The songs contained traditional African sounds and rhythms, helping to maintain a connection to their homelands  The language also communicated forbidden thoughts and feelings between the slaves.

 Refrain: a word, phrase, line or group of lines repeated at regular intervals. o Call and response format: Leader sings the verse of the song, which prompts others to sing the chorus  Biblical Allusions: references to people, places and events in the Bible. These references have an allegorical meaning.  Allegory: a story in which all the literal elements are also symbolic.

 River Jordan: River that flows through the Middle East. Spirituals reference crossing the Jordan river as an allegory for slaves crossing the Ohio River to safety.  Moses: o Led the Israelites out of Egypt = yearning to have someone lead them to freedom; also symbolized specific people, like Harriet Tubman who was called Moses because she was an activist who helped lead slaves to freedom via the Underground Railroad (she led 300 slaves to freedom through the Underground Railroad).