1) Du Boi describes the sorrow songs as the sole American music, being the most beautiful form of human expression to come from the new world. These songs are significant to African-American history as they are the voices of the past, they reveal the strife and trouble of the slaves. This history is passed down generationally, and although their words meaning may not be understood to its recipients, the meaning of the music is. Du Boi describes the steps in which these songs of African descent integrated itself into American culture. He described them in 4 steps, first one is African in root, second being of African-American, third is the combination of this music with the music heard in the foster lands, and the fourth is white music which has been inspired from said African-American music. This describes the integration of African music in our predominantly white America, and in turn reveals the progression of our culture today.

2) In my own opinion I feel that “You may bury me in the east” is the most significant sorrow song. It is the only song I’ve heard on the list that explicitly mentions the longing to die, despite the terror that comes with that thought. And that shakes me to my core to know the enslaved fantasized the idea of a heaven after death, for they can not live a pleasant live in enslavement. To me this song talks about a share hope for salvation after death, and that to me defines the sorrow songs.