African-American Folk Music

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that the African-American song genre, developed largely among slaves, describes the inevitable escape from toil and bondage and serves to strengthen the faith of the people by reminding them of a universal God, who would bring justice to his followers. The author points out that, in "Bound for Canaan Land", the "land of Canaan" is a metaphor for heaven and for the North, a land of freedom. The paper reveals that the author Harriet Tubman used spirituals such as "Follow the Drinking Gourd", which meant following the Big Dipper to the Ohio River, as a communication device to convey the possibilities of physical freedom.

From the Paper:

"Biblical themes also evoke the image of crossing rivers, and many of the best spirituals were created and practiced by slaves who worked as sailors and boatmen on rowboats and ships of the Ohio River. "The Old Ship of Zion" is an inversion of the original ships that brought the slaves to America, and its singers wonder "Do you think that she is able/ For to carry us all home?" She promises deliverance having already "landed many a thousand," but being "loaded down with angels", her final destination is not necessarily a return to Africa, but a welcome to paradise."

More papers on African-American Folk Music:

• Descriptive Essay # 100477 : "Twentieth Century American Popular Music"
• Analytical Essay # 130722 : "American Popular Music in the 20th Century"
• Essay # 33859 : "African-American Music"

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