'NEGRO,' 'BLACK,' or 'AFRICAN-AMERICAN' SPIRITUALS?
Names By Which Spirituals Have Been Called
By WYSIWYG and Q

Internationally, the term most scholars and students of the genre use for this body of music is 'Negro Spirituals.' This places the genre in time, and distinguishes it from 'White Spirituals.' Older usage in print is "negro," and at the time it was used, it was considered a significant mark of respect and manners compared to other words in use in the culture of the time. Today, when using the term 'Negro Spirituals,' it's an important mark of respect to capitalize the N.

No disrespect is intended by this designation, although I realize that many African Americans today find the older terms, which were thought to be desirable in their own time, difficult.

Other names this music has been known by include:

Slave songs
Plantation songs
Sorrow songs
Jubilee songs
Exaltations
Negro songs
Cabin songs
Contrabandists songs (see below)
Religious Folk Songs
Spiritual Folk-Songs

~Susan

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From Q to WYSIWYG
6 May 2005

Song of the Contrabands

"O Let My People Go" (or "Go Down Moses") is called 'the song of the contrabands.' This name (contrabands) was applied to the freedmen and escaped slaves who fought with Union troops, many in the Port Royal area, taken early by Union troops (1861).

The first sheet music of "O Let My People Go" was published in 1861 as "The Song of the 'Contrabands'" the chaplain of the Contrabands, L. C. Lockwood, in an arrangement by Thomas Baker. Other Contraband songs were published by Lucy McKim in the sheet music folio "Songs of the Freedmen of Port Royal," including "Roll Jordan Roll" and "Poor Rosy, Poor Gal." Also see McKim (Garrison), "Songs of the Port Royal 'Contrabands'".

~Q