Final answer:
The songs of slaves signified sorrow, resistance, and a longing for freedom, rather than contentment. They were a form of covert communication and psychological resistance with dual meanings to ensure survival and maintain a sense of community.
Step-by-step explanation:
While white people interpreted the songs of slaves as evidence of their contentment, these songs actually signified sorrow, resistance, and a profound yearning for freedom. Far from being expressions of happiness, the songs of slaves were often coded with dual meanings: a superficial one that would not provoke the wrath of their masters, and a deeper one that communicated the painful realities and injustices of slavery among the enslaved community.
The spirituals and work songs of the enslaved people carried messages of hope for deliverance and functioned as a form of covert communication and psychological resistance. The well-known spiritual "Go Down Moses", for instance, became a signal for escape and a metaphor for freedom from bondage. Songs also served as an emotional outlet, lamenting the harsh conditions while fostering a sense of community and identity.
Within these songs and narratives existed a strategy of survival and a subtle form of rebellion, as well as a foundation for African American musical traditions, such as the blues, that would emerge post-slavery. They were a vehicle for enslaved parents to impart wisdom and coping mechanisms to their children, ensuring survival within a cruel system while simultaneously instilling a sense of hope and identity.