I enthusiastically suggest Dena Epstein's fine book __Sinful Tunes And Spirituals---Black Folk Music To The Civil War__ (University Of Illinois Press--1977).

Here's part of a song...1841 (call and response while working):

Leader: I loves old Virginny.

Chorus: So hoe, boys, so hoe.

Now's pickin cotton time..

My master is a gentleman...

He came from the Old Dominion...

And mistress is a lady...

We live in Mississippi...

The land for makin' cotton...

They used to tell of cotton seed...

As dinner for a nigger man...

But boys and gals it's all a lie...

We live in a fat land...

Hog meat and hominy...

Good bread and Indian dumplings...

Music roots and rich molasses...

The negro up to picking cotton...

The old ox he broke his neck...

He belong to old Joe R...

He cut him up fro negro meat...

My master say he be a rascal...

His negroes shall not shuck his corn...

No negro will pick his cotton...

Old Joe hire Indian...

I gwine home to Africa...

My overseer says so...

He scold only bad negroes...

Here goes the corn boys...

I don't love the peddlars...

They cheat me in my rabbit skins...

When I bought their tin ware...

The parson say his prayers in church...

Then deliver a fine sermon...

He cut the matter short my friends...

He say the blessed Lord send it...

Now's the time for plantin' bacco...

Come my negroes get you home...

Jim, Jack---Joe and Tom...

Go draw your plants and set 'em out...

Don't you stop a moment, boys...

'Twas on a blessed Sabbath day...

Here's a pretty preacher for you.

-----------------------Art Thieme