African-American culture had a significant impact on the formation of the cultural identity of the United States. Important role in the formation of the main aspects of African American culture played a religious representation of African Americans which began in the period of slavery in the United States. Today interracial relationships are treated not as a confrontation, but the interaction that should enrich the American culture. African-American culture itself is considered as a developing, unique and at the same time organically fit into the US culture. Spiritual culture of the Black people is the result of a complex development, the refractive index and the enrichment of the cultural heritage in Africa entirely new natural and socio-historical conditions despite the fact that Americans “maintaining Black people as a subjugated nation” (Avakian 15). African-Americans, despite some regional differences, form a single ethno-cultural, including language, community, self-determined on the basis of race.
Slavery had the main influence of Black people to the history of the United States. As a result of this unprecedented violent about 10-12 million people were actually delivered to the United States. The Black population was an inexhaustible source of labor for work on plantations and mines of the New World (Van Sertima). The legacy of slavery has had a lasting impact on economic success (and failure) of Black people. Terms and conditions of slavery, as well as professional "ceiling" due to subsequent caste status gave rise to an appropriate attitude to work and the acquisition of skills, which persists to this day. “After the American Revolution, many colonists (particularly in the North, where slavery was relatively unimportant to the economy) began to link the oppression of black slaves to their own oppression by the British” (history.com). The African influence on the emerging culture of the United States was notable in several respects, especially in the field of agricultural techniques and architecture. Many methods of farming is an adaptation of the African. The custom of building houses on stilts, with a view to get rid of the insects inhabiting the bottom were taken from Africa. Immediately there were taken and several other options of designs of houses.
American values have also experienced the influence of African traditions. A typical picture of the way, leading from its inception, was more common in the south than in the north, and it is consistent with the concepts of family and clan existed in Africa. During the long centuries of slavery white planters forcibly etched mocking sense of national dignity of Blacks. In those areas of life where chauvinist pressure and leveling were less Africans created great original cultural values, such as Negro folklore, literature, music. The Black population has nevertheless inherited a highly developed cultural unity; it produced the state of slavery, shared suffering, discrimination and continuous infringement of political and civil rights, and especially economic social inequality. Mostly this fact and determined the contribution of Blacks in American culture that is their rhythm, music, folk songs, their religious beliefs and practices. Their role is displayed in American art and literature. Black and white Americans often held religious worship in the same churches, often with black priests. Racist ideology was the later by bringing to facilitate the conscience of the slave-owners, more and more in need of justification of the institution of slavery in the face of religious and political change.
The leading role in the spiritual life of African Americans during the XX century played a massive black Protestant church association, distinguished by white more emotional, vibrant traditions of worship. In the first decades of the XX century there are other religious groups, usually small but play and play is still visible (occasionally even leading) role in the African-American movement. The method of worship in the United States can also be attributed in part to the African influence. This emotion was particularly evident in the various forms of religious expression. The so-called "ecstatic" approach to religion, which consists in a living manifestation of emotions and even obsession, is a direct borrowing of African practices. Until now, fundamentalist sects in the United States practice such "ecstatic" approach. Commemoration of the dead, with a view to reuniting with their ancestors have been traditionally in Africa and was not part of the American tradition, becoming, in spite of this, part of the religious ideology of the United States even existed long before the Protestant sects. Specifically African origin and have many of the superstitions of the southern United States.
The most important and lasting contribution made by Africans in the South American language. They brought with them a language rich in proverbs, figurative expressions and the other turns of speech, which, as many researchers have been directly transferred to the southern variant of the English language. It has become a tradition of the bar to pay attention to the fact that the literature of the south to a large extent owes its greatness impurities African idioms. It should be noted widely recognized contribution of Blacks in the South, not only musical tradition of the American South, but ultimately the entire world culture. What happened in the XVIII century, the clash of European melodies with African rhythms produced the effect of a variety of musical styles as jazz, blues, rock and roll, soul and rap. Thus the culture of the United States was a result of the merger of two already in many respects similar to the time of cultures that occurred as a result of reactions to the new conditions for both of them, as well as the influence of the institution of slavery, giving each of them a new shape.
In the first half of the XX century there is moving the majority of African Americans from the rural South to the cosmopolitan metropolis. This relocation was the reason for the destruction of fears of slave past, blacks move to a more active lifestyle, a more confident stance. But even in the metropolitan Blacks were in the ghetto, in the grip of segregation at the bottom of the social ladder. For example “The neighborhood is 92 percent black. Its homicide rate is 45 per 100,000—triple the rate of the city as a whole” (Coates 2). There is no doubt that, since the 1960ies, the unemployment rate, the number of cases of imprisonment and the disintegration of families has increased dramatically among them. It is possible to explain this state of affairs is mainly the reduction of the number of seats for workers ( "blue-collar"), membership of which has been the traditional starting point on the way to the middle class. This decrease was far more widespread than is commonly believed, and mostly in the urban areas of the north of the country, among the inhabitants of which a high proportion of the black population. In any case, what happened as a result of the decrease in the number of social opportunities for the lumpen of the black population, as well as the preservation of social pathologies associated with belonging to the lower classes perpetuate racism among white and feelings of despair among black. Black people are still waiting for changes in the objective situation and subjective stereotypes, which would allow them to fully and equally participate in the economic life of America, as well as social and cultural institutions, for the formation of which they have done so much.
Black people despite all perpetrated by them against obstacles and injustice, actively participated in both world wars. Black Americans took part in the War of Independence and the Civil War. But it was in the first half of the XX century, in the world wars a great number of descendants of slaves gained experience in combat and at the same time demonstrated their willingness to fight for the United States. They have demonstrated that the United States can be considered as homeland.
In the 1960ies the civil rights movement develops in the second race war and a "black revolution" in America; wrap a radical change in the balance of power in race relations and the creation of Afro-American studies have provided conditions for "mass production" of intellectual production. In addition to the quantitative growth is undergoing profound qualitative changes in the attitudes and practices of research as a result of the radical change the entire paradigm of thinking. Recent studies show that African Americans largely determine the socio-cultural policy of the country, especially since the 1960s. African origins and the plight of this group in the United States define the uniqueness of the "black" image of America, and its contribution to the development of the country makes visible appearance in a kaleidoscope of American culture. In addition, African-Americans worry about the problem of feminism, which acquires a special meaning in their treatment. In addition, the election in 2008, US President Barack Obama played a role in the revitalization of interest in African-American culture and religion. For example, in the US went out a number of articles that reinvents "black theology” which raises the question of the place and the role of African Americans in a changing world.
Works Cited
Avakian, Bob. Democracy: Can't We Do Better Than That?. Banner Press, 1986.
Coates, Ta-Nehisi. "The Case For Reparations". The Atlantic. N.p., 2014. Web. 9 May 2016.
HISTORY.com,. "Black History Milestones - Black History - HISTORY.Com". HISTORY.com. N.p., 2016. Web. 9 May 2016.
Van Sertima, Ivan. "They came before Columbus." New York (1976): 136-137.
