Why the slaves sung spirituals because it was codes so the white did not know they were going to escape.
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Slaves sang spirituals as a form of emotional release, to preserve their culture and traditions, and to communicate covert messages of resistance and hope to each other. These songs also provided a sense of community and uplifted their spirits during difficult times.
Spirituals helped slaves look forward to freedom, deliverance, and better days ahead. They provided a means for slaves to express their sorrows, hopes, and sense of community, offering a form of catharsis and a way to find solace and strength in the midst of their hardships. Spirituals also provided a means of escape, offering a temporary reprieve from the harsh realities of slavery through music and communal singing.
A common form of religious expression for slaves was through blending African spiritual traditions with Christianity, often adopting spiritual practices such as ring shouts, spirituals, and other forms of worship that provided a sense of community, hope, and resistance against oppression.
On Sundays, most slaves would spend their free hours attending church services, singing spirituals, gathering with family and friends, and participating in communal activities. These activities provided them with a sense of community, spiritual nourishment, and a brief escape from the hardships of their daily lives.
Spiritual singing provided slaves with a means of expressing their faith, hope, and resistance to oppression. It also served as a form of communication, allowing them to convey messages and codes to coordinate escapes and uprisings. Additionally, spirituals helped preserve African cultural traditions and identity in the face of enslavement.
Spirituals were dangerous to slaveholders because they often contained hidden messages of resistance, liberation, and hope for freedom. Enslaved individuals used spirituals to communicate with each other, organize rebellions, and express their desire for freedom, all while appearing to participate in harmless religious activities.