▁a ▁distinct ▁cultural ▁body . ▁ ▁African - American ▁cultural ▁history ▁From ▁the ▁earliest ▁days ▁of ▁American ▁sla very ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 7 th ▁century , ▁slave ▁own ers ▁sought ▁to ▁exercise ▁control ▁over ▁their ▁slaves ▁by ▁attempting ▁to ▁strip ▁them ▁of ▁their ▁African ▁culture . ▁The ▁physical ▁isol ation ▁and ▁soci etal ▁marg inal ization ▁of ▁African ▁slaves ▁and , ▁later , ▁of ▁their ▁free ▁pro gen y , ▁however , ▁facil itated ▁the ▁ret ention ▁of ▁significant ▁elements ▁of ▁traditional ▁culture ▁among ▁Afr icans ▁in ▁the ▁New ▁World ▁generally , ▁and ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁in ▁particular . ▁S lave ▁own ers ▁deliber ately ▁tried ▁to ▁repr ess ▁independent ▁political ▁or ▁cultural ▁organization ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁deal ▁with ▁the ▁many ▁slave ▁re bell ions ▁or ▁acts ▁of ▁resistance ▁that ▁took ▁place ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States , ▁Brazil , ▁H ait i , ▁and ▁the ▁Dutch ▁Gu yan as . ▁ ▁African ▁cult ures , ▁sla very , ▁slave ▁re bell ions , ▁and ▁the ▁civil ▁rights ▁movement ▁have ▁sh aped ▁African - American ▁religious , ▁famil ial , ▁political , ▁and ▁economic ▁behav iors . ▁The ▁im print ▁of ▁Africa ▁is ▁evident ▁in ▁a ▁my ri ad ▁of ▁ways : ▁in ▁politics , ▁econom ics , ▁language , ▁music , ▁ha irst yles , ▁fashion , ▁dance , ▁religion , ▁cu is ine , ▁and ▁world view . ▁ ▁In ▁turn , ▁African - American ▁culture ▁has ▁had ▁a ▁per vas ive , ▁transform ative ▁impact ▁on ▁many ▁elements ▁of