The siftings of Centuries
Black people told stories, from Genesis to Revelation, with God’s faithful as the main characters. If slaves couldn’t read the Bible, they would memorize Biblical stories they heard and translate them into songs. These songs are the articulate message of the slave to the world. «They are the music of an unhappy people ; they tell of death and suffering, yet they do not express hatred or rancour.
These songs are indeed the siftings of centuries.» The Souls Of Black Folk. W.E.B. Du Bois.