Part 6/20:
In the South, particularly the Deep South, Black communities are rooted in longstanding social networks, land relationships, and a rural culture predating the Civil War. These regions share a complex history intertwined with plantation culture, African immunity to tropical diseases, and cultural influences borrowed from African origins—most notably from regions like Nigeria, Angola, and the Congo. These influences manifest in music genres such as blues, jazz, and gospel, which have had a profound influence on American culture.