What Do Those Songs Mean?
The spirituals that the slaves wrote often had a double meaning because inside the lyrics there would be codes. These codes would help them to freedom, sometimes giving them a map. The songs had secret codes so that their masters won't know what they were talking about. The slaves would share these songs and they would help them find their way to the Underground Railroad. The Underground Railroad was a secret passage to get to a state that didn't have slaves or even to Canada. It was named that because the white slave owners when they discovered their slaves were missing would say, "It was as if they got up on some underground railroad."
Source: Follow the Drinking Gourd video with captions. This is able to tell the story of the song as get an idea of the meaning.
Source: This chart gives a hint to the meaning behind some of the spirituals that the slaves sang. Some of the songs helped the slaves get to Canada.
Source: This is a map of the Underground Railroad in 1860. It helped many slaves escape to freedom. They would meet "conductors" who were helping the slaves escape to freedom. They would supply them with food and water until they could go back out again. The slaves usually escaped to Canada where they didn't allow slavery.
Source: Etta James sings her version of Swing Low, Sweet Chariot. This is spiritual that had double meaning for the slaves.
Source: This a a educational version of Wade in The Water. The video shows what life was like for slaves during that time. Wade in the Water was another spiritual that had double meaning.
Directions: Answer questions about the previous documents set.
What do you think the song, Follow the Drinking Gourd means to slaves?
Listen to the song, Wade in the Water, what do you think it is about based on what you know about slaves trying to escape?
Which song do you feel has the strongest meaning and why?
Do you feel as though these songs would be effective to help the slaves escape to freedom? Why or Why not? Give evidence to support your answer.
Listen to the song, Wade in the Water, what do you think it is about based on what you know about slaves trying to escape?
Which song do you feel has the strongest meaning and why?
Do you feel as though these songs would be effective to help the slaves escape to freedom? Why or Why not? Give evidence to support your answer.