Slave+Culture

Slave Culture: Charlie Johns

Music:

The slaves used their culture primarily to give them hope. They used their music to give them hope but also for some entertainment too. Slaves had three types of music: religious songs, work songs, and recreational songs. Work songs were used for entertainment through the long days in the cotton fields. As stated on PBS.com, "Also these songs were sang to help them get organized and get work done quicker." In the slaves' free time, they would play recreational songs with string instruments while many danced and enjoyed themselves. The slaves that were lucky enough to be able to practice their religions sang religious songs in their small slave chapels. So as you can see the slaves daily lives were filled with with wonderful songs that were a big bright spot in a life as a slave.

Religion:

As said by PBS.com, "Slaves practiced many polytheistic religions, which means they believed in many gods". Most slaves were ether Christian, Muslim, or Jewish. For the Christian slaves, they were said to have not ever fully abandoned they traditional African religions. For the slaves, it was a daily struggle to find a way to practice their religions. Some weren't allowed to all together! The lucky slaves that could would all crowd in a small slave chapel and hope and pray that something good may happen to them or etc.

The Arts:

The slaves found a way to express themselves through the arts. This was especially hard for them because of their limited resources on their plantation. The slaves would need to use some of the simple things to be able to express themselves. They were said to have spun yarn, then make it into beautiful quilts.They would also write poems and tell stories. In these stories they would tell about their hardships on the plantations. They would write poems on the topic as well. The arts was one of the only ways the slaves found hw to express there emmotions that they build up from all the dramatics that happen on the plantation.

  Chapel where slaves practiced their various religions.

 Quilt hand-made by a slave.