According to Du Bois, the significance of what he calls the “sorrow songs” to African culture and history is that they represent the pain, suffering, struggle, hope, and urge to be freed. The sorrow songs each tell a story based on the American slaves from all those years ago. To them, it holds a symbolic meaning because they would sing along to them while in slavery for the world to hear in hopes of being freed one day. They did not sing it because they were happy, but more so in order to give them hope and faith that one day they will be freed and be at peace. The songs represent the American people mourning those they have lost during these dark times as well. Itis the root of the American past and it reminds us of all the suffering and pain they had to endure during slavery. These songs have been passed down generation from to generation in order to remind us of all the things they had to go through.

Out of all the sorrow songs, the most significant one would be “Nobody Knows The Trouble I’ve Seen” by Louis Armstrong because even though he does not say much in the song, you can feel the pain and things that he has gone through with his voice. The lyrics represent all the harsh things he had to endure and see during this time. All the suffering and pain the African people went through and the melody adds on to that effect.