African Cultural Influence in American Society

African Cultural Influence in American Society: An Anthology provides students with a curated collection of readings that identify and explore the ways in which American society has been shaped by African culture.

The anthology is organized into three main chapters. The opening chapter examines African traditional beliefs through arts and culture, with articles on religion, nature, and belief systems; hoodoo religion and American dance traditions; the lasting nature of ritual ceramics of the African diaspora; and tales from the Gullah people. Chapter 2 focuses on the arrival of African foods and foodways in America. Students read about the rise and fall of the first American rice industry; the Africanization of plantation food systems; African food history; and the relationship between African food and the crossing of the Atlantic. Chapter 3 explores the influence of African culture on American music. The articles focus on the formation of African American music in the United States; the African origins of banjo music; and musical performance in the African American West.

African Cultural Influence in American Society is an ideal supplemental text for courses in African American, American, and transnational history, as well as any course exploring American culture and society.