摘　要

作为黑人族群表现其生活体验及思想感情的一种特殊语言,黑人音乐的发展不仅折射了黑人音乐与美国主流音乐的关系史，同时也反映了黑人文化同美国主流文化互相影响、融合的特殊情形。然而，黑人文化在长期以白人文化为主导的美国社会始终受到制约、排挤。因此，如何在以白人文化为主流的国度里维系自己的身份，在这种困境中重拾个体、获得身份认同，成为黑人文化发展的关键。本文通过介绍黑人音乐的构成发展及其文化特征，分析黑人族群在不同社会发展阶段的自我表达方式及其过程中反应的社会现实。探寻黑人音乐的文化有助于理解美国黑人文化，更有利于发展民族文化中的优秀成分以及对社会现实中的民族问题的进一步反思。

关键词：黑人音乐；美国黑人；文化认同
 
Abstract

    As a special language, black music has represented the living status of the blacks, and has expressed their emotions as well. The development of black music is always reflecting the relationship between black music and American mainstream music, which reveals the status between black culture and the mainstream culture. It is the instinct for a race, especially for American black people, to make themselves understood and accepted by various means, and music becomes the choice of American black people. However, American black people’s culture is segregated and confined by American society where the whites’ culture has dominated for a very long time. Therefore, it’s of great importance for American black people to regain their racial consciousness and reconstruct cultural identity in order to develop and prosper their culture. The thesis makes an introduction of different types in black music and their cultural features. Self-expression of American black people in different social status reflects negative aspects in their life. They are faced with the absence of racial consciousness and trapped in the dilemma of dual identity. The reconstruction of their cultural identity requires them to confront with history, maintain racial consciousness, and integrate into mainstream culture. Exploring culture connotations in black music is helpful to make a further understanding of American black people’s culture and can develop good components in ethnic culture and make a reflection on racial problems in social reality.

Key words: black music; American black people; cultural identity

1 Introduction
Black music is so popular that people all around the world keep their eyes on its development and even culture of the blacks. Music is a significant part in culture, especially for American black people who have suffered an unforgettable history. Rhymes and tones of a song carry singers’ emotions to others. No matter in slavery days or in current time, American black people have not given up expressing their inner feelings to make people listen to. With time going by, music provides a bigger stage for them, waking up their lost sense of identity which they were confused about and could not face up with for a long time. To find ways to achieve cultural identity is quite necessary for American black people to live in an equal way. American black people should keep right values on identity to keep their culture developing. It reflects American black people’s culture connotations from the perspective of music.