spirituals

Spiritual

A religious folk song that developed as an orally transmitted vocal genre created by enslaved Africans in North America.

Fisk Jubilee Singers

An African American choral ensemble formed in 1871 at Fisk University that toured internationally to raise funds for their school and preserve spirituals.

Call-and-response

A musical structure derived from African traditions where a lead singer performs a phrase and is answered by a group response.

Follow the Drinking Gourd

A spiritual containing coded directional messages referencing the Big Dipper constellation to guide escaping enslaved people northward.

Wade in the Water

A spiritual containing coded advice for escaping slaves to travel through waterways to throw off the scent of tracking dogs.

Swing Low, Sweet Chariot

A spiritual using chariot imagery to symbolize the Underground Railroad and alert individuals when conductors were nearby.

Steal Away

A spiritual used as a covert signal to announce clandestine religious gatherings or upcoming escape attempts.

Go Down, Moses

A spiritual drawing on biblical stories of liberation to serve as a coded call to resistance against oppression.

Pentatonic scale

A five-note musical scale characteristic of spirituals that reflects African musical heritage.