During the chaos following the Civil War, whites were not the only ones who were trying to find their way but newly freed African-Americans slaves were as well. Since most people in general were lost and trying to start a new life, African-Americans were not alone. Although they were not alone, they still faced discrimination and had a harder way finding their place in America(1). Their views regarding slavery varied greatly from those who felt safe during slavery and those who craved freedom in every fiber of their being. Due to this, some African-Americans held tightly to what they knew before and wanted to return to that way of life. This view was definitely one of the unpopular ones so you do not hear much about it.
A man named James Bland wrote a song called “Carry Me Back to Old Virginny” in 1878(3) which clarified the unpopular view held by the slaves. Bland was also the first African-American composer whose music was published by a major company. The lyrics are as follows(2):
Carry me back to old Virginia,
There's where the cotton and the corn and taters grow,
There's where the birds warble sweet in the springtime,
There's where this old darkey's heart am long'd to go,
There's where I labored so hard for old massa,
Day after day in the field of yellow corn,
No place on earth do I love more sincerely
Than old Virginia, the state where I was born.
CHORUS: Carry me back to old Virginia,
There's where the cotton and the corn and taters grow,
There's where the birds warble sweet in the springtime,
There's where this old darkey's heart am long'd to go.
Carry me back to old Virginia,
There let me live 'till I wither and decay,
Long by the old Dismal Swamp have I wandered,
There's where this old darkey's life will pass away.
Massa and missis have long gone before me,
Soon we will meet on that bright and golden shore,
There we'll be happy and free from all sorrow,
There's where we'll meet and we'll never part no more.
CHORUS
In this song he tells of how he wishes to return to Virginia where the cotton, corn, and “taters” grow because he has a special place in his heart for it. Although he is singing of slavery and being on a plantation he refers to it in a positive outlook. This was not prevalent following the Civil War but the song shows evidence of a affirmative outlook on slavery from African-Americans.
From looking at this song along with many other songs written by slaves in this time period historians are able to view into the minds of Americans many years ago to see how events of the past affected their moods and fueled their thoughts.
Resources:
1. "America's Reconstruction: People and Politics After the Civil War." America's Reconstruction: People and Politics After the Civil War. Accessed January 28, 2015.
2. Bland, James. Carry Me Back to Old Virginny (1878). Lyrics.
3. "Songwriters Hall of FameInducted 1970." Songwriters Hall of Fame. Accessed January 28, 2015.
A man named James Bland wrote a song called “Carry Me Back to Old Virginny” in 1878(3) which clarified the unpopular view held by the slaves. Bland was also the first African-American composer whose music was published by a major company. The lyrics are as follows(2):
Carry me back to old Virginia,
There's where the cotton and the corn and taters grow,
There's where the birds warble sweet in the springtime,
There's where this old darkey's heart am long'd to go,
There's where I labored so hard for old massa,
Day after day in the field of yellow corn,
No place on earth do I love more sincerely
Than old Virginia, the state where I was born.
CHORUS: Carry me back to old Virginia,
There's where the cotton and the corn and taters grow,
There's where the birds warble sweet in the springtime,
There's where this old darkey's heart am long'd to go.
Carry me back to old Virginia,
There let me live 'till I wither and decay,
Long by the old Dismal Swamp have I wandered,
There's where this old darkey's life will pass away.
Massa and missis have long gone before me,
Soon we will meet on that bright and golden shore,
There we'll be happy and free from all sorrow,
There's where we'll meet and we'll never part no more.
CHORUS
In this song he tells of how he wishes to return to Virginia where the cotton, corn, and “taters” grow because he has a special place in his heart for it. Although he is singing of slavery and being on a plantation he refers to it in a positive outlook. This was not prevalent following the Civil War but the song shows evidence of a affirmative outlook on slavery from African-Americans.
From looking at this song along with many other songs written by slaves in this time period historians are able to view into the minds of Americans many years ago to see how events of the past affected their moods and fueled their thoughts.
Resources:
1. "America's Reconstruction: People and Politics After the Civil War." America's Reconstruction: People and Politics After the Civil War. Accessed January 28, 2015.
2. Bland, James. Carry Me Back to Old Virginny (1878). Lyrics.
3. "Songwriters Hall of FameInducted 1970." Songwriters Hall of Fame. Accessed January 28, 2015.