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the political aspect of the Negro problem, and his book is a tirade against the white South for limiting the suffrage of the blacks.

Alain Locke's The New Negro, 1925, breathes the spirit of the educated and aspiring man of color.

J. W. Cromwell's book, The Negro in American History, 1914, is an extravagant and vaunting narrative of the achievements of his race and is entirely without merit.

To sum up, I would say that in both quantity and quality the writings of the American Negro are highly creditable in view of his limited opportunities. In the fields of poetry, history, autobiography and moral philosophy, one can single out productions which may be considered valuable contributions to the world's culture.

CHAPTER 42

NEGRO FOLK SONGS

Their African Origin—Spirituals of the Southern Plantations—Funeral SongsWork Songs-Satirical and Humorous Songs-Influence of Negro Folk Songs on the Music of the Whites

HE music of the American Negro had its beginning in Africa. The folk music of the native African is very difficult to reproduce for the reason that it cannot be written so as to preserve its emotional color or timbre. Mr. Krehbiel in his Afro-American Folk Songs has given us a very good collection of native African music, but we can form a correct idea of it only from the impressions it has made upon the white residents in Africa who have had the pleasure of listening to it. All missionaries and explorers describe the music as peculiarly plaintive and melancholy.

The original poetry which belonged to the African folk music was lost in transit to America, but the emotional tone and rhythm were transferred to new compositions, partly original, and partly imitative modifications of the hymns sung by white people.

Congo airs have followed the wanderings of the Arab, have enlivened the street music of Constantinople, and have charmed the courts of Persia.

The musical impulse in the Negro prompts to spontaneous recitative and improvised songs, and, in the atmosphere of the Southern plantations, the Negro developed unconsciously a new and rich store of folk music.

The songs of the black slaves in the South are, in the opinion of Krehbiel, "original and native products. They contain idioms which were transplanted hither from Africa, but as songs they are the product of American institutions; of the social, political, and geographical environment within which their creators were placed in America; of the influences to which they were subjected in America; of the joys, sorrows and experiences which fell to their lot in America." 1

"Perhaps the innate lightness of heart and carelessness of disposi'Krehbiel, Afro-American Folk Songs, p. 22.

tion, carefully cultivated by the slaveholders for obvious reasons, had much to do with the circumstance that there are few utterances of profound sadness or despair found in the songs, but many of resilient hopefulness and cheerful endurance of present pain in contemplation of the rewards of rest and happiness hereafter." "

The following are some of the best known folk songs:

SOMEBODY'S BURIED IN THE GRAVEYARD

Somebody's buried in the graveyard,

Somebody's buried in the sea,

Going to get up in the morning a shouting,
Going to join Jubilee.

1. Although you see me coming along so,
To the promised land I'm bound to go.

2. I have some friends before me . . . gone,
By the grace of God I'll follow on.

3. Sometimes I'm up, sometimes I'm . . down,
But still my soul is heavenly bound."

BALM IN GILEAD

There is a Balm in Gilead,
To make the wounded whole,
There is a Balm in Gilead,
To heal the sin-sick soul.

I. Sometimes I feel discouraged,

And think my work's in vain,
But then the Holy Spirit
Revives my soul again.

2. Don't ever feel discouraged,
For Jesus is your friend,
And if you lack for knowledge,
He'll ne'er refuse to lend.

3. If you cannot preach like Peter,
If you cannot pray like Paul,
You can tell the love of Jesus,
And say, "He died for all."

'Krehbiel, op. cit., p. 45.

'Work, Folk Song of the American Negro, p. 34. •Work, op. cit., p. 43.

"OH, NOBODY KNOWS THE TROUBLE I SEE”

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"IN BRIGHT MANSIONS ABOVE"

Chorus

In bright mansions above,

In bright mansions above,
Lord, I want to live up yonder,
In bright mansions above.

1. My mother's gone to glory,

I want to go there, too;

Lord, I want to live up yonder,
In bright mansions above.

Chorus

In bright mansions above, etc.

2. My Saviour's gone to glory,
I want to go there, too;
Lord, I want to live up yonder,
In bright mansions above.

Chorus

In bright mansions above, etc.'

"BY AND BY"

Chorus

Oh, by and by, by and by,

I'm a-going to lay down my heavy load.

1. I know my robe's going to fit a-me, well.
I'm a-going to lay down my heavy load;
I tried it on at the gates of hell,
I'm a-going to lay down my heavy load.

Chorus

Oh, by and by, by and by, etc.

2. Oh, some-a these mornings bright and fair,
I'm a-going to lay down my heavy load;
Going to take-a my wings and cleave the air,
I'm a-going to lay down my heavy load.

Chorus

Oh, by and by, by and by, etc.

Work, op. cit., p. 62.

8 Ibid., p. 70.

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