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History of Gospel
Gospel music has its roots in the long suffering and deep spirituality of the African-American people. The first vestiges of gospel music were to be found in the field worship songs called “Corn Ditties,” sung by slaves. Groups of slaves would meet in fields to listen to itinerant preachers and they would sing as they worshipped. The songs favored the themes of salvation and being lifted from their suffering.
In the 1850s, the Protestant Revival Movement
brought a new form of religious experience into popularity, the
revival. At revivals spiritual songs were incorporated into the
religious experience. These songs drew heavily on the lyrics and
traditions of the slave music. It is also around this time that a new
series of songs emerged. These songs were meant to be forms of
communication that would aid escaping slaves along the Underground
Railroad. Songs such as, “Wade in the Water,” and “Gospel Train,”
served this function.
In the 1890s, new churches appeared which
encouraged traditional African-American music. Here, the spirituals
were rearranged to suit a church service, and they flourished. In the
early 20th century, groups of singers appeared who sang a harmonized
version of the church spirituals.
The first person to actually
compose what we now consider to be gospel music was Thomas A. Dorsey.
Following the official introduction of gospel music, it became
increasing popular in the North, but it wasn’t until the 1930s that it
became part of mainstream music. In the 1930s, Sister Rosetta Tharpe
sang Gospel music in a night club. The lyrical church music was then
transformed into popular culture.
Gospel music continued to be
important to preachers and congregations around America. It formed a
memorable and important part of the civil rights movement. Songs such
as, “We shall overcome,” became synonymous with the struggle for
African-American rights.
Overtime, Gospel music has been
transformed from African-American church music to spiritual music which
is available to all and sung by all. It remains a very popular American
music form today.
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