Despite the restrictions imposed by slavery, African Americans made significant contributions to American culture in the areas of music, literature, and cuisine . The infectious nature of African American music, which appeared in a variety of styles including jazz, soul, rap, rhythm and blues, quickly spread to American audiences and broke barriers of 'where they originated. From the 17th century, music played an essential role in organizing the first slave uprisings. When introduced to the United States, drums were used as a means of communication: broadcasting messages in a rhythmic language not deciphered by white people. They were used to orchestrate resistance and revolts. After slave drumming was banned, they fought back by preserving these rhythms through adaptation to new instruments. After the American Civil War, the blues reflected the dispiriting realization that, even if emancipation was granted, equality for African Americans was not guaranteed. Blues singing communicated disappointment and melancholy. They were reminiscent of African griots, singers and storytellers. The blues reflected American race relations, documenting struggle and conflict on the one hand, but also suggesting a future based on cooperation and understanding. Jazz was initially considered a minor form of music, if at all. Many notable composers of the 20th century, Aaron Copland, Maurice Ravel, and Igor Stravinsky, embraced jazz as a powerful musical genre. Sam Cooke is the first great figure of soul. His music marked a shift from emotional issues to social and political issues, as evidenced in the song "A Change is Gonna Come." From the 1960s through the 1970s, soul moved towards songs of political consciousness and protest, p...... middle of paper ......s was perhaps the most influenced by African cuisine. Fried chicken, orka, and southern food seasonings are all of African origin. In French Louisiana, African cuisine produced the unique cuisine of New Orleans. Orka, known as gumbo in Africa, is still one of the most popular soups in this region today. Additionally, African Americans would recreate customary African cuisine like fufu, widely consumed in South Carolina. Fufu is a popular staple food in Africa, produced mainly in West and Central Africa. The main contribution of Africans during the era of slavery was agriculture. Rice was brought to South Carolina from Madagascar in the 1740s. African women showed their owners how to grow rice. As a result, these crops became the source of the state's economy. In response to racial and economic oppression and poverty, African American cuisine emerged..