Afro-American Music Exam 1

three significant historical roles and uses of music to the African

in the Motherland (Africa); in captivity; in the “New World“

in the Motherland (Africa) music was….

infused in every aspect of social life > weddings, child birth, death, royal ceremonies; musicians and singers were held in high regards

in captivity, music was….

forced upon slaves for profit gain (maintain strength of them, forced to dance and eat) and entertainment (make a mockery of themselves)

in the “New World“ music…

became means for survival; cautious and clever way to communicate escape plans

the first large pool of captured Africans was brought to America in what year?

1619

Heaven

up North, destination

Hell

down South

Satin/Satan

slave owner

chariot

means of transportation

God/Jesus

God or Jesus literally; leader of escape regimen

river (Jordan)

in crossing of water

thunder/lighting

to depart, to remain, or signs of directions

spirituals

American folk songs created by enslaved Africans during the antebellum era; they depict the sadness and pain, yet hope, determination, and clever brilliance of their people

antebellum era

pre-civil war

code songs

spirituals that included disguised underlying tales solely for the use and understanding of the enslaved African American; constructively designed for a clever plan of escape or a warning of danger

who initiated the Fisk Jubilee Singers

George White

what was the purpose of starting the Fisk Jubilee Singers

to raise funds for Fisk Institution, which was in serious financial trouble

what two historical institutions followed the same plan as Fisk

Hampton and Tuskegee

the Fisk Jubilee Singers were organized in what year

1871

why was Ella Sheppard important to the Fisk Jubilee Singers

she traveled with them for 11 years with no break as a soprano, pianist, and assistant director

what were abolitionists

activists who were strongly opposed to slavery

what is the name of the book Avery Clayton inquired about

SSOTUS - Slave Songs of the United States

what are the two reasons composers include dialect in their arrangements of spirituals

• to pay homage to the creators (many English phonetics do not exist in the spoken African Language)

• to coincide with the choice of rhythm of the arranger

Jester Hairston

• he had to lose his Boston accent to sing spirituals

• he portrayed many racial stereotypes during his career

• he conducted the choir in a film called “Lost Horizons" and it won an Oscar for best score

• he was adamant about the need to preserve Negro spirituals

• he was a member Kappa Alpha Psi

Undine Smith Moore

• she was known as the Dean of Black Women Composers

• she was a graduate of Fisk University

• she co-founded and co-directed Virginia State’s Black Music Center

• she never stopped composing even after retirement from teaching

John W. Work III

• he received his degree in music from Yale University

• he was a music professor at Fisk University for 39 years

• he wrote a book on Negro spirituals with 230 songs

• he documented African American folk culture in the Mississippi Delta region