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Negro spiritual

British  
/ ˈniːɡrəʊ /

noun

  1. a type of religious song originating among Black slaves in the American South

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

And all of that life is in their music, which, thanks to Dorsey’s innovation, weds the plaint, woe and human upside of the Negro spiritual with the rhythm of the blues.

From New York Times • Sep. 5, 2019

Sometimes, Lewis fears that “we have lost our way,” and turns to a Negro spiritual sung during the movement: “I’m so glad trouble don’t last always.”

From Washington Post • Apr. 26, 2019

He was drawn to indigenous American forms, by which he meant the blues, the work song, the Negro spiritual and the show tune, and his compositions referred to those forms.

From New York Times • Apr. 29, 2013

It might jar contemporary liberals, but Pastures in its day had all the impact of a Negro spiritual; it won the 1930 Pulitzer Prize for drama.

From Time Magazine Archive

Were you there when they crucified my Lord; a Negro spiritual in illustrations. © 4Oct44; A18339.

From U.S. Copyright Renewals, 1971 July - December by Library of Congress. Copyright Office

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