A lot of the songs had a sad sound, but some of them were happy and joyful.The slaves could sing these songs while working in the field as a way to send messages to other slaves without the overseers’ knowledge. Other songs talked about leaving on a train.
“Follow the Drinkin’ Gourd”, for example, is about following the North Star to freedom. Some of the music contained hidden messages.Their songs talked about Moses leading the people to freedom. Black slaves especially related to the Israelites who were in bondage in Egypt. This music often retold gospel or Biblical themes.The slaves developed a unique form of music that included bits from Africa.Yet, they found ways to find comfort and express themselves. They were frequently beaten or mistreated, and their own families could be taken from them.Ĭomplaining about their situation could land them a whipping. They worked from sunup to sundown, often with little food or proper clothing. Enslaved people had almost no control over their own lives.
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