Sacred music , including Christian sacred music, has been a fundamental part of African American life. Its core function is the same as any other religious music, celebration of faith in song. Black religious song has two strands. One is sung in church and on religious occasions. The other is performed, as entertainment in venues ranging from concert halls to sidewalks, where performers hope to get coins from passersby.
Both are uniquely African American. In the 1925 American Negro...