The Preservation of Vernacular Tradition in African American Literature
Vernacular tradition plays an important role in African American history and literature. During the slave era, black people were systematically denied the right to learn how to read and write, which led to the reliance on word of mouth transmission for the spread of knowledge and culture. The vernacular tradition was a form of resistance and preservation of one’s identity while facing oppression. Some examples can be seen with songs such as “Pick a Bale of Cotton” and “Go Down, Moses.” In the case of “Pick a Bale of Cotton,” it shows slaves trying to uplift their spirits to keep going even while doing repetitive backbreaking work. “Pick a Bale of Cotton” emulates the repetitive setting by repeating phrases such as “Oh, Lordy, pick a bale of cotton” (line 5). By singing these songs while working, the slaves resist giving up hope in the system of oppression. Many of these songs are uniquely experienced through listening. Reading the lyrics doesn’t showcase the mood that the song is tryin...