When enslaved Africans were brought to the United States, they were forced to leave behind nearly all material possessions. But they retained their cultural traditions — including a tradition of vibrant, rhythmic communal music.

And that’s how the black spiritual was born. Although white communities had their own folk spirituals, slaves used spirituals as a form of work song in order to boost their companions’ spirits, convey their sorrows, convey secret messages, and seek comfort in God.

SOURCE: https://people.howstuffworks.com