“I’ve had some good days; I’ve had some hills to climb; I’ve had some weary days; And some sleepless nights
“But when I look around; And I think things over; All of my good days; Outweigh my bad days; I won’t complain”
As the newly freed became more comfortable with their newfound religious freedoms, they took ownership of how they worshiped. Ministers and preachers began a new form of religious oration that included the familiar call and response that was often found in spirituals and songs and the ‘Ring Shouts,’ which originated in West Africa