"As yet, the Negroes themselves do not fully appreciate these old slave songs"
- James Weldon Johnson
About this Quote
This quote by James Weldon Johnson is referring to the spirituals and folk tunes that were created by African American slaves during the time of slavery. Johnson is suggesting that the African American community has not yet totally valued the significance of these tunes. He is suggesting that the tunes are more than just music, but a representation of the African American experience and a method to express their feelings and feelings. Johnson is suggesting that the African American neighborhood needs to recognize the significance of these songs and the history behind them. He is also suggesting that the African American community ought to take pride in these songs and utilize them to celebrate their culture and heritage. By doing so, they can acquire a better understanding of their history and the struggles they have actually dealt with.
"The whole commerce between master and slave is a perpetual exercise of the most boisterous passions, the most unremitting despotism on the one part, and degrading submissions on the other. Our children see this, and learn to imitate it"