What Is the Origin of African-American Spirituals?

Journey to Freedom: The Spirituals Radio Project is a new on air feature that explores the stories and origins of African-American spirituals, hosted by M. Roger Holland II.
Host and Educator M. Roger Holland II breaks down the history of African American spirituals and the influences from culture and religion.
To listen to Journey to Freedom: The Spirituals Radio Project tune into CPR Classical or visit CPR.org/Classical

[@michaelgrover6157]

Thank you for this!

[@michaelangelo9119]

We sang allot of spirituals in out 99% white public midwestern high school choir and we loved it. I feel it was very helpful. Didn't Deitricht Bonhoepfer lister to music from the Harlem church that he fellowshipped with for a time and communicated with?

[@RebeccaJohnsonPRL]

Bonhoeffer wrote about his experience at Abyssinian Baptist Church and how impacted he was by the spirituals sung there. He expressed how they expanded his Christian experience, drawing him to remain in NYC longer than he had originally intended. He became a close friend of the pastor Adam Clayton Powell Jr. If you dig, there is history about them being part of an international Nazi resistance group. Like the film Valkyrie.

[@Vijay7090]

So good! Just. So. Good.

[@michaelangelo9119]

God makes all things work together for those who love Him as promised in the New Covenant where in Jer 32:40 "... I will never turn from doing you good ...' that includes shaping what we teach eachother by our singing. Singing powerfully combines truth and emotions. Jesus Himself said in John 4 that those who worship God must worship Him 'in Spirit and in truth'.