It appears that the present-day form of African American English is not the inheritance of the period of slavery, but the creation of the second half of the 20th century.
“I was black and blue for about two years, but it's paid off tremendously. You know, if you get enough whacks, your reflexes pick up, and I've become quite good - if somebody throws keys or something, I can catch them.”
“Interpreter of Maladies is the title of one of the stories in the book. And the phrase itself was something I thought of before I even wrote that story.”