Lecture Series: Resounding Africa in America: Black Music of the Antebellum Period

The legacy of African American music represents an intersection of history and culture that began in Africa, passed across the Atlantic Ocean, and took shape in the new world.  This legacy is a story of resistance and rebellion to preserve an African way of life while negotiating the American experience of slavery.  A focus on the musical journey, Dr. Maultsby's presentation will examine Africans’: (1) resistance to European cultural imprisonment through their engagement with African music, dance, and other cultural rituals in America; (2) creation of the Negro spiritual; and (3) transformation of European songs into African-derived expression, both resulting from the negotiation of their dual identities as Africans and Americans.