ed ▁or ▁de valu ed ▁to ▁conform ▁to ▁Euro cent ric ▁America . ▁Natural ▁ha irst yles , ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁af ro , ▁and ▁African ▁cl othing , ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁dash iki , ▁gained ▁popular ity . ▁More ▁important ly , ▁the ▁African - American ▁a est h etic ▁encourag ed ▁personal ▁pride ▁and ▁political ▁aw aren ess ▁among ▁African ▁Americans . ▁ ▁Music ▁ ▁African - American ▁music ▁is ▁root ed ▁in ▁the ▁typically ▁pol yr h yth mic ▁music ▁of ▁the ▁eth nic ▁groups ▁of ▁Africa , ▁specifically ▁those ▁in ▁the ▁Western , ▁Sa he lean , ▁and ▁Sub - S ah aran ▁regions . ▁African ▁or al ▁trad itions , ▁n urt ured ▁in ▁sla very , ▁encourag ed ▁the ▁use ▁of ▁music ▁to ▁pass ▁on ▁history , ▁teach ▁less ons , ▁ease ▁suffering , ▁and ▁relay ▁messages . ▁The ▁African ▁pedig ree ▁of ▁African - American ▁music ▁is ▁evident ▁in ▁some ▁common ▁elements : ▁call ▁and ▁response , ▁sync op ation , ▁per cussion , ▁impro vis ation , ▁sw ung ▁notes , ▁blue ▁notes , ▁the ▁use ▁of ▁fal set to , ▁mel is ma , ▁and ▁complex ▁multi - part ▁harm ony . ▁During ▁sla very , ▁Afr icans ▁in ▁America ▁bl ended ▁traditional ▁European ▁h ym ns ▁with ▁African ▁elements ▁to ▁create ▁spiritual s . ▁The ▁ban jo ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁African ▁instrument ▁to ▁be ▁played ▁and ▁built ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States . ▁S lave hold ers ▁discovered ▁African - American ▁slaves ▁used ▁drums