SLAVERY

SLAVERY The first Blues singers were African slaves. Their music grew out of despair of slavery. Even after their release the slaves were still held down by appalling poverty. For many of the black African people, this ‘freedom’ was worse than the slavery. Once slaves were set free, the nightmare of being a slave was over, but black people were often denied jobs and treated badly, as such songs show us -

I been hurt an’ mistreated ‘till I done made up my mind I been hurt an’ mistreated ‘till I done made up my mind Gonna leave dis ol’ country An’ all my troubles behind

These words come from a blues song. ‘Singing the blues’ has always been a way for black Americans to tell of bad things in the life, and let out emotion.