The Evolution of Black Music & Culture: 1619-Present
Written by Jae C. Henderson Spring 2012
“The four epochs in the evolution of black music and culture are: The American Negro (1619-1900), The New Negro (1900-1940), The Nigga (1960-2000), The New Nigga (2005-Present).”
Abstract
Black culture evolved in various ways during different time periods, and the music directly reflected the sentiment of the larger black community during these stages. The four epochs in the evolution of black music and culture are: The American Negro (1619-1900), The New Negro (1900-1940), The Nigga (1960-2000), The New Nigga (2005-Present). As with most things in history, there is no perfect chronology to the beginning and ending of each stage; however, I will argue that there were various indicators that signified the beginning and end of the eras, which is why there are small “leaps” in time made throughout my paper. I am not attempting to answer why these changes occurred at these specific time periods or why the culture and conditions of the time were reflected in the music. Rather, I would like to address how the evolution of the culture was reflected in the music and how it evolved from what it was after the first African slaves reached the shores of the American colonies to what we see today in the New Nigga era.