2 chapters across the catalog
Enslaved Africans used spirituals as a survival mechanism and a tool for secret communication. While missionaries tailored Christian messages to justify slavery, the enslaved people created songs with coded meanings regarding hope and escape. Mo Facts notes that modern dictionaries have captured various acronyms for hip-hop, but emphasizes the original "higher power" aspect and the importance of call and response.
Mo Facts explains the double meanings in spirituals like "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot," where "chariot" and "Jordan" served as metaphors for the Underground Railroad and the Ohio River. He introduces the racial slur "moon cricket," explaining its origin as a reference to enslaved people singing at night to signal escape plans. The segment highlights the creative energy historically put into both resistance and racism.
