Teach the term presentation

Call and response definition

Call and response is a foundational cultural, musical, and rhetorical pattern where a leader’s statement (the “call”) is answered by an immediate, collective response from the audience or community (the “response”)

What

 a conversational technique where a first musical phrase (the call) is directly answered or commented on by a second phrase (the response)

Where

Deeply rooted in Sub-Saharan African cultures, it is standard in community storytelling, rituals, and drumming ensembles where a lead drummer's rhythm is answered by the group.

When

Call and response in music does not have a single exact creation date, as it is an ancient human musical tradition with roots stretching back centuries into traditional Sub-Saharan African cultures.

Sigificance

Call-and-response is a vital historical, cultural, and political concept. Rather than just a musical or performative technique, it serves as a primary example of African cultural retention, communal agency, and resistance throughout the Black diaspora. 

Connection to APAAS

In AP African American Studies (APAAS), call and response connects to African and African American cultural traditions, especially music, religion, storytelling, and oral history. It shows how African traditions were preserved and adapted by African Americans despite slavery and oppression.