The Contribution Of African Americans To Musical Culture

Student’s NameInstructor’s NameCourse DateThe Contribution of African Americans to Musical CultureThe culture of the blacks of the USA is connected in its origins with the culture of the peoples of Africa, but it cannot be directly erected to them. Already, for example, the genre analysis of the song folklore of American blacks with an African shows that in America there were only those genres that corresponded to the new living conditions: labor songs, everyday songs, and lullabies. In contrast, ritual songs and the military quickly disappeared, same as songs that glorified ancestors, oral historical legends, among other. New genres appeared - spiritual songs (spirituals), and protest songs. It is equally important, though even more difficult, to establish those internal qualitative changes in labor songs. Megan Sullivan argued that “Subsequent generations of Africans gradually became cultured infused with music developed under the harsh conditions of slavery. White Americans considered African-Americans separate and unequal for centuries, going Negroes oppressed and apart” (21).The musical folk art of the African Americans is extensive and diverse, and it is distinguished by great harmony, a beauty of the melody and richness of rhythm.