Music and dance is a very large one. They formed new religions and groups from songs and dances they had created as a coping mechanism. Many mainstream forms of American music can be traced back to the roots of slaves. Slaves that were craftsman or very skilled often made art, furniture, and other items to express African culture. These people also include carvers, sculptors, and quiltmakers. Slaves also had a huge impact on southern culture. Southern speech is influenced by Africans. Many sermons and other forms of oral expression and literature is traced back to its African-American roots. Southern soul food is African-American cuisine from the slave era. Slavery is an enormous part of American history and is often portrayed with a silver lining. The reality is that slavery was much more influential than we think it actually is. Many of our everyday ideas and creations come from African-American culture and