Negro spirituals are songs created by the Africans who were captured and brought to the United States to be sold into slavery.

The first year tutorial, taken in the fall semester, is Grinnell College's only general academic course requirement. The college intends the tutorial to assist students in further developing their critical thinking skills and in improving their written and oral communication skills. Each of the tutorials offered in a given fall semester is based around a particular subject matter, which provides the vehicle by which the above goals are accomplished.

This work was sponsored by the University of Richmond, School of Arts & Sciences, Department of Music.