| The Progression of The Negro Spirituals |
| Negro Spirituals began to be studied more deeply, into the content of the messages slaves were sending through these Spirituals. There were Political Negro Spirituals, Emotional Negro Spirituals, and Freedom Negro Spirituals. |
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| Political Spirituals, were the main songs not allowed to be sung on plantations. They were speaking out. Questioning what was going on in their world. For example there are lyrics to Go Down Moses, sung by Paul Robeson and Didn't My Lord Deliver Daniel created and sung by the Fifth Jubilee. These songs questioned that if God was such a great being then why hadn't he saved them. Why hadn't he saved them from the horrendous day-to-day occassions they were suffering from? |
| Emotional Spirituals were usually sang in the work fields or in Church to get the strength to continue to deal with their slave master's. Also to deal with the condition of their lives and their people's situation. In the examples for Emotional Spirituals are the lyrics for Soon I Will Be Done and Been In The Storm So Long, both sung by Mahalia Jackson. |
| Freedom Spirituals were developed to sing to slaves in order to have a safe escape from the plantation. Usually other slaves that had already successfully left the plantations came back to help other slaves leave. In the example for Freedom Spirituals are the lyrics to Steal Away To Jesus and Oh, Freedom! |
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