Touching on the subject of black music, it is hard to overlook the field of gospel music and the contributions of Thomas E. Dorsey of Chicago. Thomas Dorsey was born just prior to the turn of the twentieth century and wrote his most famous hymn, "Precious Lord" when he was in his late thirties.
We learn more about Thomas Dorsey, the "father of gospel music," by watching the 1980 movie, "Say Amen, Somebody." http://youtu.be/RofuWfE6nUk
        Not only is this a great hymn, but looking at some of the video, we get a glimpse back to a simpler time, and a time when religion played a major role in the lives of both black and white Americans. There is plenty more film and video material available, but this particular film turned out to be an intimate and moving portrayal of the pioneers of gospel music.
        I have been immersed in traditional christian music for some time, now. The more one learns about the field, the more one plays and understands the music,  the less relevant the questions are about who started what.  The best advice may be to take those questions as common questions first asked by people just starting to scratch the surface of the field. Patience is a virtue.