Wellness Culture on Southern Plantations

Discover the Science Behind the Wisdom of Mental Health Strategies Cultivated by Enslaved People

Despite all the trauma, we continue transmuting Black pain into artistry. Image credit: Marcio Skull

“It is a wonder how we are all not dead,” said Toni Morrison, referring to Black people and all the atrocities we’ve survived. Despite all the trauma Black people have faced, we have been transmuting pain into laughter and artistry for centuries. Our ancestors have left blueprints that respond to Toni Morrison’s query, because while it is a wonder, it is not a mystery how Black people survived and continue to survive in America.   

Plantation Life: Designed to Subjugate and Traumatize 

We know the story: African people were kidnapped from their homelands, trafficked to foreign lands and forced to work without compensation. The wounds enslaved people experienced didn’t come only from whippings, rapes and lynchings. Toiling from dawn until dusk, trapped in a constant cycle of violence, enslaved people experienced unyielding stress, anxiety and trauma. On Sundays and the days around Christmas might be the only times the captors gave their captives a break. Enslaved people found ways to alleviate the mental and emotional toll of their conditions that are effective in ways science has come to recognize. Compare the wisdom of music and dance as mental health supports amid unspeakable cruelty on the plantations of the American South and the science behind them.   

Singing 

The wisdom   Enslaved people used songs and drums to communicate secret messages and organize revolts on ships that carried Africans and plantations. As a result, many of the enslaved were often forbidden from singing songs in their native tongue or playing drums. The instrument that couldn’t be taken was their voices. Stripped of their native tongue, Negro spirituals were born on the plantations of the South. These songs (now in English albeit the slave dialect) often reference the suffering its vocalists experienced and belief in heaven and a God that would end their suffering. Songs like “Keep Your Hand on the Plow,” 'Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen,' or 'When the Saints Go Marching In' could be heard on plantations to pass time and soothe souls throughout the workday. Songs like “Swing Low Sweet Chariot” and “Follow the Drinking Gourd” held hidden messages about escaping through the Underground Railroad. There were also more humorous songs like “Hoe Emma Hoe,” where enslaved Africans clandestinely made fun of slave owners, overseers and expressed discontent about conditions.  

The science  No matter the song’s message or purpose, singing has great benefits. According to research in experimental psychology at Oxford University, singing is particularly beneficial for improving breathing and lung capacity, which can slow the heart rate and calm the body. Listening to and participating in music making is an effective pain relief due to the release of endorphins, a natural painkiller and mood booster. There’s also some evidence to suggest music can play a role in sustaining a healthy immune system, by reducing the stress hormone cortisol and boosting antibodies. These studies indicate enslaved Africans’ natural inclinations to sing may have aided in their mental and physical well-being.  

Dance 

The wisdom  After a long day’s labor, it was common for enslaved people to gather, make music, and dance. Similar to plantation songs, some of these dances, like “The Cakewalk” mimicked slave owners, while others, like “The Ring Dance,” held spiritual meaning. It’s hard to imagine spending your day doing back-breaking work in the fields or in plantation owners’ homes and conjuring the energy to dance afterward, but this speaks to the restorative qualities of dance. Many art forms are endorphin-producing; dance is no different. After completing a day of forced labor, moving one’s body autonomously and joyously could provide reprieve.  

The science  Dancing  provides a therapeutic experience that reduces stress hormones, relieves pain, and provides further benefits, including relief of physical tension, anxiety and aggression, while decreasing cognitive and kinesthetic confusion.  

Playing Instruments   

The wisdom  The banjo, often considered America's oldest instrument, was actually created on southern plantations by enslaved African people. This instrument, with a drum-like base (made from a gourd), neck, and four strings, was created and played by enslaved African people in the South. The ability of enslaved people to create and influence American music while in bondage, from materials found around them, is a testament to the resilience and ingenuity African people have always carried. This music was created for the delight and artistic expression of the enslaved but also played a role in supporting their mental health and cognitive functioning. 

The science   Recent studies have shown guitar lessons decrease PTSD and depression symptoms in veterans. Because this population was also exposed to life-threatening conditions, death and violence, an assumption can be made that these results would have implications for enslaved people with slavery induced PTSD.  Additional studies show, the therapeutic use of music has been demonstrated to alleviate symptoms of various mental health conditions, including depression and anxiety, by providing a non-invasive and creative approach to treatment. 

In recent years, science has found evidence of trauma’s impact on our brains and genetic expression that can make the effects of trauma generational. However, not enough of our attention focuses on the strategies for healing that are passed down generationally and culturally, what Dr. Lacretia Dye identifies as “Generational Overcome” the personality traits, skills, talents that are passed down genetically and culturally that have served as instruments of healing and surviving trauma.  Art has and continues to play a significant role in the generational overcome of African American people and people around the world and Black people deserve to be recognized as some of the founders of art therapies.