African-American spirituals are folk songs created by American slaves who lived in the South. The words reflect the pain and suffering of their experience as slaves. Frederick Douglass described them best, in his autobiography Life and Times of Frederick Douglass:

I have sometimes thought that the mere hearing of those songs would do more to impress some minds with the horrible character of slavery, than the reading of whole volumes of philosophy on the subject could do… Every tone was a testimony against slavery, and a prayer to God for deliverance from chains. The hearing of those wild notes always depressed my spirit, and filled me with ineffable sadness… Slaves sing most when they are most unhappy. The songs of the slave represent the sorrows of his heart; and he is relieved by them, only as an aching heart is relieved by its tears. At least, such is my experience… I have often sung to drown my sorrow, but seldom to express my happiness. Crying for joy, and singing for joy, were alike uncommon to me while in the jaws of slavery. The singing of a man cast away upon a desolate island might be as appropriately considered as evidence of contentment and happiness, as the singing of a slave; the songs of the one and of the other are prompted by the same emotion.

Part A
Read and answer the questions for both of the following selections:
Swing Low, Sweet Chariot
Go Down, Moses
Submit your answers for both selections together as Spirituals.
Discussion

Part B
Like the African-American spirituals that carried the message of protest and inspiration to fight against injustice, the modern songs you selected as examples carry similar messages relevant to controversies in today’s world.

You now have the chance to explore and share your reaction to these messages.

Before you answer the questions below, review the lyrics of the protest and inspiration songs you selected as examples in assessment Spirituals.
What made you choose the modern protest and inspiration songs you included as examples?
A protest song is a form of an argument for change. What rhetorical strategies are used in these lyrics? How do these strategies help make the argument effective? What is the impact of the rhetorical strategies on the reader/listener?
After you have reviewed the lyrics and answered the above questions, go to Discussion and post your responses as Response to Modern Songs.

Respond to the post of someone whose name begins with the same range of letters as yours in the assigned Discussion.Add a comment to indicate your opinion on the effectiveness of songs of protest and inspiration. Explain by example how the songs do or do not effect positive changes.

Be sure to respond to each other’s Discussion posts. Answer politely and thoughtfully.
Modern Connection

Test Prep Journal Icon – Hand with Paper and PenTest Prep Journal

The skill of comparison and contrast that you are in the process of mastering will serve you well with academic writing for life. For this entry, you will gain more practice with this skill.

Completing this entry involves:

reviewing the African American Spirituals above
reviewing the modern protest songs you present in your discussion board posting
determining the similarities and differences between the Spirituals and modern songs