different tribal areas, sharing the same fate and living under similar oppressive conditions united these African Americans. By gathering their cultural traditions together, they synthesized a new culture. The new culture was an adaptation of African cultural components to the new land and their enslavement (Hudson 14). Many of the African cultural traditions survived through the synthesis of the African traditions with the European-American culture. For example, the conversion of African Americans only occurred because of the "Africanization" of Christianity (Hudson 15). The Africanization of Christianity could be seen during their church services where passion and emotional fervor were unleashed. Leaping and jumping accompanied the priests' shouts. These practices were a part of the African ring ceremonies (Stuckey 57).
Unlike the Africans living in their homeland, the African Americans did not live in an environment that fostered these traditional beliefs. These beliefs were not transmitted from generation to generation in their original forms. Instead, these cultural beliefs evolved over time to reflect the struggles and the interaction with a foreign environment. For African Americans living in slavery, the various cultural beliefs of the African tradition became a common source of strength for them as they endured their oppressive life (Hudson 15).
The period of Reconstruction, occurring after the end of the Civil War, also meant the demise of slavery and freedom for the enslaved African Americans. For many former slaves, freedom and independence allowed them to create an African American community of free members (Foner 78). Much of the foundation for the organizations formed during the Reconstruction was laid before the war. Free blacks had created a network of churches, schools and mutual benefit societies. At the same time, slaves had also begun to gather together groups around the family and church (Foner 78).
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