Definitions for "Spirituals"
African American religious folk music that contributed to blues.
A group among the early Christians who perceived themselves as possessing the gifts of the Spirit to an extent that they were more advanced or blessed than others. Some of them seemed to believe they were exempt from rules of everyday life, for which Paul reproves them. The same English word also means African American slave songs that used biblical language to lament their life in slavery ("Go Down, Moses"; "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot", etc.), and often served as code to disguise efforts at escape ( e.g., "Promised Land" stood for the north).
(spir•i•tu•als) n. – religious songs created by slaves while they were in church or working in the fields.
members of the Franciscan order devoted to maintaining the ideals of the founder with respect to money and property