Final answer:
Modern black gospel music was the result of a long history of musical traditions, influences, and adaptations by African Americans. Slaves and free blacks in the South developed work songs, hollers, and spiritual tunes as a way to ease the drudgery of plantation labor and communicate covert messages. They combined the European hymn and psalm texts taught by missionaries with their own melodies and speech patterns, effectively creating a unique African American musical sound.
Step-by-step explanation:
Modern black gospel music was the result of a long history of musical traditions, influences, and adaptations by African Americans. Slaves and free blacks in the South developed work songs, hollers, and spiritual tunes as a way to ease the drudgery of plantation labor and communicate covert messages.
They combined the European hymn and psalm texts taught by missionaries with their own melodies and speech patterns, effectively creating a unique African American musical sound. This cultural expression laid the foundation for future genres such as the blues, jazz, and gospel.