Last month, my husband Andy and I traveled to Washington, DC to celebrate a dear friend's wedding. While we were there, we spent time sightseeing and visiting some of the incredible museums across the national mall. My favorite experience of the weekend was a trip to the National Museum of African American History and Culture, the newest in the Smithsonian family of museums. After spending a couple of afternoon hours at the museum, we realized we'd need to book a second trip later in the weekend so we could take in more of the exhibits and museum offerings. Even after four more hours there at the end of our trip, we didn't make it through all the exhibits! It is truly an incredible museum with remarkable methods of storytelling. We left with a deeper sense of the histories (both horrific and triumphant) that mark the lineage of African American communities throughout the United States. We also left with overwhelming gratitude for the cultural contributions of the rich and diverse communities of African American people in our country.
As we viewed artifacts and read stories, I was struck by the inextricability of African American history and the life of the Black Church. African American worshiping communities have always been sites of both spiritual renewal and community engagement, from the days of enslavement "hush harbors" to segregated worshiping spaces of the Jim Crow era and the activist legacies of Black congregations during the 1960s struggle for equal rights. Of course, these worshiping communities included rich legacies of music, inspiring so many of the richest songs, hymns, and spiritual songs that we hear on Sing For Joy each week. Forged in moments of oppression and suffering and in experiences of resilient joy, these musical traditions are profound gifts to the Church.
This month on our program, we will encounter musical expressions of African American worship. Of particular note, on October 4, we'll hear a spiritual arranged by Black female composer Florence Price, sung by the legendary contralto Marian Anderson. Then to close our October 18 program, we will listen to a recording of "Lift Every Voice and Sing," a William Grant Still setting of the poetry of James Weldon Johnson that has come to be known as the Black national anthem.
As you listen to these pieces, I hope you are as moved as I am to consider the unique contributions of Black poets, clergy, and musicians to the legacy of worship music in traditions across the world. May we steward those legacies faithfully, giving thanks to the Spirit, the source of all inspiration.
Blessings to you all this October,
