Music and the Black Church

The sound of music, often associated with the voices of deities, was a medium for personal and communal religious expression in traditional African societies. During this time, the drum, also known as an “acoustical seducer of the spirits,” assembled the community and summoned the spirits. Today, Black religious music is still known for assembling a community, both inside and outside the church, with songs such as “We Shall Overcome,” a staple of the Civil Rights Movement. In this course we will immerse ourselves in the music of the Black church, from melodies predating the transatlantic slave trade and Negro spirituals to contemporary gospel sounds and their use in social activism. 3 hrs. sem.