Why were african americans so instrumental in creating jazz?

need help, i was unable to find specific information on google

They are instrumental since they are the ones who taught of creating it. It came out of the creativeness of the african american slaves during those dark days. This is the way in which they could express themselves.

It's In our blood..LOL

Jazz was a spin-off of Blues in which blues was depressng while jazz was a little more exciting and live (depending on the type of jazz)
look it up on wikipedia

Even though the blues are essential in the production and history of jazz (Dizzy once said that if we lose the blues in jazz we lose jazz), one can't deny the other beginnings of jazz from the African drumming in Congo Square in New Orleans and the Rags of Scott Joplin. Louis Armstrong, who many credit with creation of the original jazz style, scat and just general hipness was an African American. Count Basie and Duke Ellington turned stride piano to swing. Charlie Parker "Bird" created a new way of jazz improvisation soloing utilizing scales, arpeggios and patterns that revolutionized jazz forever. The original bop trumpet player Dizzy Gillespie who helped Bird create the style mentored Miles Davis. Miles created cool jazz, was huge in the creation of jazz fusion as well as hooking up with John Coltrane. "Trane" had been playing with Thelonius Monk, who revolutionized jazz through inventing new approaches to harmony and space. Trane became the greatest jazz improvisational in music history to this date. PHEW! I only skimmed the surface. I never mentioned, Art Blakey, Clifford Brown, Cannonball Adderley, Mingus, Sidewinder, Donald Byrd, Coleman Hawkins, Art Tatum, Robin Eubanks, Oscar Pettiford, J.J. Johnson, Curtis Fuller... o.k. I'll stop now! If you'd like to learn some jazz history I suggest reading Miles Davis' autobiography. It's outstanding. Also the Ken Burns Jazz Series is quite good as well.

Just stopped by to give a thumbs up to JB!
I recently did my research paper on the History of Jazz and JB definitely knows his Jazz!!!!!