The History of African American Spirituals

African American spirituals have a long history within the United States. In the worksheet The History of African American Spirituals, children read about how African Americans used spirituals during different moments in history, starting from their enslavement to the civil rights movement. Students will then answer questions and complete a Venn diagram to compare how spirituals were used during slavery, post emancipation, and then later during the civil rights movement. Designed for a fourth and fifth grade social studies and literacy curriculum, The History of African American Spirituals helps support students as they refine their nonfiction comprehension and compare-and-contrast skills, while exploring a topic still relevant today.