Hello group! Well I know this week was cut a bit short due
to the snow, but I did my best to pull together a relevant blog topic from this weeks
readings and our time in class that I hope everyone finds interesting!
The reading this week, How
Race is Made by Mark Smith argues how white southerners used not only
sight, but a full sensory experience to dehumanize slaves and justify slavery. Using
more senses to determine race helped perpetuate racism in the south by creating
the illusion that difference between people was more innate than basic skin
color. Especially as skin color lines
began to blur among people in the south, these different means of
classification became even more important. Despite the complete irrationality,
the colonially developed concept of race was able to remain prevalent in
southern society for extended periods of history due to these socially
developed sensory differences.
One of the sensory differences white southerners used to
create difference between them and their slaves was the sense of sound. Despite
the rich culture slaves developed among them, specifically through music,
whites often dismissed these cultural developments. Rejecting black musical expression
as “unrefined” allowed southerners to deepen already present stereotypes. While
many southerners acknowledged the strong emotional quality of this music,
southern racism became so unquestionable, this value in this music was
negligible to most at the time.
The link I included in this post lists some quick links (under the "music and video" tab at the top) to
songs and spirituals developed by slaves living in the south. The links also include some narratives, but if you read the brief descriptions under the player it's easy to tell which are songs. The emotions are
obvious when listening to any of the selected tracks and certainly highlight
the characteristics many southerners observed as the readings
explain. While you’re welcome to reflect on the tracks however you want, the
main factor I found interesting is how musical expression contradicted the
sensory stereotypes of the time both in the ways slaves heard, created and used
it to change the hostile environment of the south and how whites interpreted
(or ignored) it. Additionally, an interesting point to consider may be how these songs/ individuals' interpretation of music and sound affects popular genres today. Feel free to listen to
any and as many tracks as you like!
The sensory stereotype of sound was used by white southerners to justify the inferiority of black slaves. Although the whites thought of their music and songs as "unrefined," I believe singing and music was something that brought the black people together that the white slave masters had no clue about. Slaves used music to get through their day and had secret messages of freedom only the slaves could understand. Because whites paid no mind to their music, it was not deemed a threat to white people, but in reality, the music inspired black people and gave them hope, which is a great threat to white superiority.
ReplyDeleteIn addition to music, I feel that dance also was a way the slaves mentally and physically prepared for freedom. The one thing that comes to mind when I think about music and dance during slave times is Capoeria. White slave owners thought Capoeria was a simple savage dance done by blacks, but Capoeria was a martial art put with music that was used to prepare for battle with their masters. Because the white slave owners used sensory stereotypes to downgrade blacks, dancing and singing was not something civilized people did, so whites paid no mind to it. Now Capoeria is a popular martial art that many people around the world participate in. Here is a video of what Capoeria looks like.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8xxgFpK-NM
That's really cool!
DeleteI definitely agree with Nia that music was a way for blacks to come together after a long treacherous labor filled day. Music was just another sense that separated blacks from whites because their chose of music were so distinctly different. Black slave music gave these slaves power and sense of hope that everything was going to be okay. It was how they expressed themselves, their music moved people with their powerful meanings. As lily said white masters paid there music no attention so this was their way of expressing themselves through these hard times. I was recently watching an episode of american horror story coven, which i'm sure many of you have heard this popular show, but in a specific scene the black witch has risen a white slave owner from the past and to make her fully understand how much she hurt her slaves and to hopefully make her understand she made her listen to black slave music. She wanted her to know how black slaves felt through slavery and maybe get something through her vicious mind.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with Nia. I believe that slaves sung to get them through the day, gave them a way to praise God and ultimently uplift each other. White Masters concedered it noise because they did not know anything about their slaves or even cared. I know my post may sound like I am repeating everyone but Nia really did nail this one. When I hear music like this song posted I also hear the pain in their voices. Although many slaves sung about a better life, hopes and dreams to be free, with their voices you can also hear the current pain they feel at that moment. I belive that slaves did believe in what they were singing but I also belive that while they were singing they were singing from current situation and how they truely felt, this made it soulful. I am sure as they sung and worked they may have cried tears of joy some days for example, when they have kids or they feel important because someone else like another slave (who would be considered friends or family and not dehumanized as the master would see it) depends on them or makes them laugh. I also believe they have cried tears of sorrow when someone dies or gets whipped. Songs bring out emotion just like songs today bring out emotion. The white masters would have never felt the types of emotions slaves have because they are living in two different worlds.
ReplyDelete