So, I'm doing my research for Steal Away Jordan, specifically looking for MP3s of spirituals, and I came across this:

Voices from the Days of Slavery

I thought that this might be of interest to folks.  There's something very strange about actually hearing the voice of someone who was a slave in the United States.  The Civil War seems so very long ago, but it really wasn't.

Thanks Seth! Cool link

When I was writing, I listened to The Alan Lomax Collection: Southern Journey Vols. 3 and 8, Jean Ritchie's Appalachian Ballads, Sacred Harp (shape note) singing, old time gospel, blues (old and contemporary), bluegrass (like Doc Boggs), the soundtrack of Cold Mountain, and old reggae like Bob Marley and The Abyssinians.

About 30% of all slaves in the US were Muslim. Here's an interesting article about the link between early blues music and Islam.