UCLA

Since slavery, people of African origin have not only used religion as a means to cope with the degradation they suffered as a result of their forced entrance to the New World, religious music has helped them to physically and spiritually escape adverse living conditions. Although several genres have been created by blacks (e.g., hymns, spirituals, and gospel songs), the impetus that gave rise to their development has been a point of controversy. This work, which consists of a book and a recording, entitled Black American Religious Music from Southeast Georgia , introduces readers to religious music performed by blacks in three small towns in southeast Georgia: Gardi, Jesup, and Waycross. In addition to a concise overview of the history of religious music within black American culture, select songs are analyzed to help readers understand some of the more important features of the music as performed by rural blacks.