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As unique and diverse the American culture is, it would be nothing today if it weren’t for the African-Americans. After the American Civil War, all of the African-American slaves that were freed let forth a flood of culture that was developed during their enslavement. This culture that was developed included a rise in family roles, expansion of music and musical style, and a new outlook on religion. Surely without the African-American culture of the late Nineteenth century America’s culture would only be a mirror of British culture.  The most evident contribution to American culture by the African-Americans was the revival of a close-knit family. During this time, many Americans were becoming alcoholics, shredding the sacrosanct fabric of the family. Many individuals were perplexed what to do to fix this problem. While it wasn’t an answer to the problem of alcoholism, the paragons of African-American families provided inspiration and hope for America. Even when separated in the slave trade, African-Americans kept a close-knit family by creating a fictitious family with fellow slaves. The family was usually held together by a keystone member, usually a female “mother hen”. These mothers inspired both abolitionists and women’s rights activists. This prime example of the dedication of African-Americans showed that there is a solution waiting to be found for the ever breaking familial bond. Along with the creation of pseudo-families on the plantations where they worked, African American slaves also let their emotion out with song. These beautiful hymns, called “Negro Spirituals”, held many people captive in their emotional melodies, and inspired many. One famous composer, the Czech born Antonin Dvořák, was a huge supporter of the advancement of African-American music in America. While visiting the New World from 1892-1895, Dvořák composed many pieces based off of these spirituals, the most famous one being his majestic and jazzy Ninth Symphony, “From The New World”. His works, along with many others of various races, eventually led to the formal development of this unique style into what we refer to today as jazz. The African-Americans created the first all-American music genre, and made an international tradition. The African-American spirituals were heavily inspired by various muses, the most famous being that of religion. During this point of life for African-Americans, many of the recently freed slaves and their descendants were forced into the Christian religion by their plantation owners. While this is only a majority demographic, the spirituals made by the slaves were usually in reference to Christianity, to prevent anger from plantation owners. With the soulful development in religion, many slaves quickly agreed that the religion their owners followed was corrupt and hypocritical. In African-American Christianity, and even Islam and Buddhism as well, the main principles in the religion in the belief that all men are equal, and slavery and racism is wrong. This liberal thinking, combined with that of the transcendentalists, started the advancements of Black churches, mosques, and temples. The Christian African-Americans became very famous particularly, due to their emotional and riveting devotionals every Sunday. This religious theology inspired millions, and provided the start of liberal Christianity.  These three staples of African-American culture have shaped America into what it is today. From the end of slavery to the beginning of the Twentieth century, African-Americans have inspired Americans and their culture with their family values, music, and religion. Without African-American culture, America would surely be not nearly as influential in it’s culture.

Works Cited

"Dvorak's ‘New World’ Symphony." Classical Classics. Web. 01 Mar. 2012. .

Martin, Elmer P. and Joanne Mitchell Martin. The Black Extended Family. Chicago: Chicago Press 1978. Print.

"African American Christianity, Pt. I: To the Civil War, The Nineteenth Century, Divining America: Religion in American History, TeacherServe, National Humanities Center." National Humanities Center. Web. 01 Mar. 2012. .