African-American Timeline 1: Music
Timeline #1: Slavery- 1910’s: Music

Music is said to be a universal language; it ties cultures together and this is no different for the African American community. In slavery times, music was used to communicate sorrows, happiness, messages, to strengthen and convey an idea they could not put into words for fear of punishment and death. Black American music is still a very large part in the culture and helps create a platform to express ideas that should be on a political stage.

1619- Slavery was introduced in the America.

Excerpt of “My good lord’s done been here” (date unknown)
“You may be a white man
White man as the drifting snow
If your soul ain't be converted
To hell you're sure to go”

1850-60- Underground Railroad

Exceprt of: “The Gospel Train” (date unknown)
“The fare is cheap and all can go
The rich and poor are there
No second class aboard this train
No difference in the fare”

1865- The End of the American Civil War and ratification of the Emancipation Proclamation
Excerpt of the Emancipation Proclamation (1863)
“Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana, (except the Parishes of St. Bernard, Plaquemines, Jefferson, St. John, St. Charles, St. James Ascension, Assumption, Terrebonne, Lafourche, St. Mary, St. Martin, and Orleans, including the City of New Orleans) Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia, (except the forty-eight counties designated as West Virginia, and also the counties of Berkley, Accomac, Northampton, Elizabeth City, York, Princess Ann, and Norfolk, including the cities of Norfolk and Portsmouth[)], and which excepted parts, are for the present, left precisely as if this proclamation were not issued.”

1867- The first collection of African American slave songs are published by  William Francis Allen, Charles Pickard Ware, Lucy McKim Garrison

Exceprt of “Swing low sweet chariot”
“If you get there before I do
Coming for to carry me home
Tell all my friends I'm coming to
Coming for to carry me home”

1871- The Jubilee Singers departs from Nashville, Tennessee to begin their first tour of the United States

From the PBS timeline of the Jubilee Singers:
“George White had planned a route in keeping with the Underground Railroad, a network of churches and private homes throughout the Midwest and Northeast that had once provided shelter to escaped slaves on their way to free states or Canada.”

1890- Holiness and Sanctified churches begin to surface.

Excerpt from “To God be the glory”
“Let the people rejoice!
O come to the Father, through Jesus the Son,
And give Him the glory, great things He hath done.”

1899- James Weldon Johnson writes “Lift every voice and sing”

Excerpt from “Lift every voice and sing”
“Shadowed beneath thy hand
May we forever stand”
1916- Charles A. Tindley composes “Take Your Burden to the Lord and Leave It There”

Exceprt from “Take Your Burden to the Lord and Leave It There”
“Leave it there, leave it there,
Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there.
If you trust and never doubt, He will surely bring you out.
Take your burden to the Lord and leave it there.”