When contemplating the origins of Black music in America much consideration is given to work-songs, the blues and spirituals. But what could be said of the antecedents of these early expressions?...let's consider Africa, the tap-root of African American culture. Despite the stereotypes and misinformation about our heritage - Africa is our Common Ground.

Enslaved Africans in early America found themselves recreating the music they brought with them from Africa as they faced many challenges. One example is the Stono slave Rebellion in South Carolina. In 1739 a group of enslaved Angolans carried out a revolt, under the leadership of a brother named Jemmy. A drum was used to communicate the message of resistance to Blacks on neighboring plantations. After this revolt was quelled, whites established laws that prohibited Black from playing the drum. Of course this was not enough to suppress African cultural forms from manifesting and evolvin...