Slave Songbook : Origin of the negro Spiritual 

Without music, our ancestors wouldn’t have survived the pain and anguish they went through during slavery.

They knew they were not Africans, but the Israelites of the Bible.

So basically the slaves were inspiration for the many forms of music like blues and rock and roll

I'm only 44 but I know quite a few of the songs in that book. My grandma's grandma sang them to her and then she sang them to me. One day I will sing the ones I remember to my own grandchildren, God willing.

My mom has a copy of that same book and she taught us some of the songs when we were growing up. ❤

These songs tell our history. They call us African but we sing of Jerusalem and Zion , Biblical songs because Black people or so called African Americans are God's people.. The Children of Israel.

I wanna hear african american history from african american people

Judah always praised God. Judah means praise.

I was reading not long ago, that the African slaves introduced the early form of the Banjo to America, without which there may not have been one of the iconic sounds inherent in Blue Grass music.

I wish that PBS would bring back the History Detectives series. They did a great job of investigating artifacts that were important to African Americans.

Gospel, Jazz, Blues, Rock, Metal, etc. So many important genres have came from it!

Thank you three good folks who pulled together and put those hope filled songs together in one book. Doing the work of saints on the earth!

Powerful and emotional. Thanks for whomever posted this. Choirs never do these songs justice at all but the raw recordings will penetrate deep into your heart and break it. Thank you

Deeply touching,a reflection of the indomitable spirit of the African American ...!!

It does my spirit good to see all the comments of my people waking up! Information is coming out right and left! Nobody could cause such a movement other than the Most High! What blessing to be alive to see His promise being fulfilled. I am blessed to be at your side as a witness. Q'am Yasharala! APTTMH!

we got shoes, we got shoes

Our county schools are not allowing teachers to use this music in their curriculum because they think it is racist to learn about "slave music". They don't realize that by doing so, they are erasing part of the history of American music itself.

This brought tears to my eyes and heart

This is none other than an extension of the Book of Lamentation. There's no other place on earth where people were enslaved that could sing religious songs to their Creator other than Black Americans and the Hebrews taken into captivity during Jeremiah's days. The two situations are almost identical. In both instances, their captors or enslavers required them to sing hymns, the latter being recorded and preserved just like in the Bible. God has a way of bringing darkness to light. He never forget His chosen people.

Slaves communicated by singing.Singing uplifted them.I can relate being a veteran.Songs can uplift you in hard times.Even more so when u are singing to GOD.