Spiritual (music)

Spirituals (or Negro spirituals) are the songs which were sung by the black slaves^[1] in the United States in the 18th and 19th centuries.^[2] More and more Africans were becoming Christian, so the words to many Negro spirituals have Christian themes.^[1] They sung these spirituals as a way to cope with the pain of slavery.^[1] Negro spirituals combine traditional West African musical style with the style of Christian hymns from Europe.

For the religious meaning of "spiritual", see Spirituality.