“AFRICAN AMERICAN SACRED MUSIC IN WORLD HISTORY AND CULTURE” AN ACADEMIC CONFERENCE

FRIDAY AND SATURDAY, OCTOBER 6 AND 7, 2006
CLEVELAND, OHIO

The music of the African American church has been an integral part of world history and culture for more than a century. Fisk Jubilee Singers and other choirs on the campuses of historically black colleges and universities toured the world singing concert spirituals, and Thomas Andrew Dorsey popularized the “gospel blues.” With the freedom songs of the Civil Rights Era and subsequent years, this music has served as a vital expression of African American religious culture and an important tool for mobilizing groups of activists working to transform the existing social order. The organizers of the 2006 conference, African American Sacred Music in World History and Culture, invite proposals for individual scholarly papers or panels and other formal presentations on the music, musicians, and related organizations and movements. The list of possible topics includes, but is not limited to: Spirituals in Antebellum African America, Jubilee Songs and Ring Shout Traditions, African American Hymnals, The Music Programs of the National Baptist Convention, The History of the National Convention of Gospel Choirs and Choruses, Protest Songs of the Civil Rights Era, The Influence of Sacred Music on Popular Culture, Gospel Music in the Global Community, and the music of individual composers and performing artists, including Charles A. Tindley, Thomas Andrew Dorsey, Mahalia Jackson, R. Nathaniel Dett, Jester Hairston, Sallie Martin, James Cleveland, Richard Smallwood, and others. Established and emerging academic scholars, independent scholars, undergraduate and graduate students, vocalists, instrumentalists, and other community participants are encouraged to submit proposals.

DEADLINE FOR RECEIPT OF PROPOSALS: SEPTEMBER 1, 2006
*Electronic submissions only.

A 250-word abstract and a one-page c.v. for each presenter/panelist should be submitted via email to: african.diaspora@csuohio.edu

For more information, contact:

Dr. Regennia N. Williams, Conference Co-Facilitator
Cleveland State University
Department of History
2121 Euclid Avenue, RT 1915
Cleveland, Ohio 44115
(216) 523-7182

This program is made possible with support from the ACE Grant Program of the Cuyahoga County (Ohio) Board of Commissioners