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Abstract Afro-American culture is one of the most important parts of American culture, which, though a non-mainstream culture, makes a great impact on the mainstream culture in America, and even all over the world. Afro-American culture is endowed with unique charm by its African factors. Music and dance, the soul of Afro-American culture, are the leading fashion, and play an important role in the international fashion circle. Afro-Americans have inherent talent for music and dance, and since they settle down in this new land, the arduous and bitter lives give them more inspiration to create many outstanding music and dance. Afro-American music and dance are unique with Afro-American root instead of an appendage of the mainstream culture, and truly demonstrate the history and social life of Afro-Americans. And the uniqueness of Afro-American music and dance is the root of the popularity of Afro-American culture. The paper aims at the exploration of the social lives of Afro-Americans through an analysis of Afro-American music and dance. 摘　要美国黑人文化是美国文化的重要组成部分之一。作为非主流的黑人文化总是对美国乃至全球的主流文化有着非同一般的影响。美国黑人文化中不可抹灭的非洲文化因素为其带来了独特的魅力。音乐和舞蹈,作为黑人文化的灵魂,不仅在流行界占有重要的地位,更是流行趋势的主导因素。美国黑人在音乐和舞蹈方面极具天赋,而在美国这片新大陆上的苦难生活又赋予了他们更多的灵感,使他们创造出了许多非凡的音乐与舞蹈。他们的音乐和舞蹈因非洲黑人的文化根源而独具特色，而非主流文化的附属物，从而能真实地反映了美国黑人的历史和社会生活；反之，正是这种音乐和舞蹈造就了美国黑人文化的独特魅力。本文旨在通过对黑人音乐和舞蹈的分析来探讨美国黑人真实的社会生活状况。 Introduction Afro-Americans are one of the most important parts of American society, and they have their own culture and tradition. The Afro-American culture, though the non-mainstream culture, has incredible influences on the mainstream culture. Music and dance are the soul of Afro-American culture and play an important role in the fashion circle; they even impose great influence on the artistic development of the whole world. Afro-American music and dance function as the mirror of the lives of Afro-Americans in the mainstream society. The first group of slaves was sailed to Virginia colony as goods in 1619 by a Netherlanders’ ship. Since then, the cruel slave trade began, and more and more slaves were sold to America. Since the first group of slaves was sailed to America, the culture originating from Africa was also brought to this new land. It was just like a black seed sowed in this new land. Initially, it was buried in the deep soil, and no one cared about it. Gradually, this black seed germinated quietly. At first, the young plant was so weak that no one noticed it. But it still grew up quietly day after day, and it became stronger little by little. About a few hundred years later, the young plant became strong enough, and it was not weak any more, but it became so lush that it began to appeal to more and more people. In fact, the black people cultured this plant by their tears and blood so that it became pretty flourishing and charming. As the soul of Afro-American culture, their music and dance fully demonstrated the painful process of growth of Afro-American culture, the uniqueness of Afro-American culture and the real social lives of Afro-Americans. I. Afro-American Music as the Soul of Afro-American Culture The slave trade was the most significant event for the fate of Afro-Americans. The slaves brought African music to this new land, which later became the leading element of the development of pop music. Those slaves lived a miserable life in America. They were forced to work hard, and were treated cruelly by their owners. Their lives were arduous and bitter. But they were