A Proud History Of Gospel Music
The history of gospel music began in the cotton fields of the South, sung by slaves as they performed their difficult work.
Most were allowed to attend church on Sundays and many slaves would stay afterwards for singing and dancing. They also met in secret places for "camp" or "bush" meetings to share their troubles and to celebrate small accomplishments. In rural areas, thousands of slaves would gather and listen to traveling preachers and sing spiritual songs for hours.
Slavery ended in 1865 at the end of the Civil War. Colleges and universities were established for African Americans, and to raise money, professors as well as students formed singing groups that performed throughout the U.S. and Europe. One of the first such groups was the Fisk Jubilee Singers from Fisk University in Nashville. Their type of music eventually came to be known as Negro spirituals.
The 1920s witnessed the beginning of the Black Renaissance movement. It was a time of renewed interest in poetry and music stemming from pride in one's race and history. Writers and poets such as Langston Hughes were popular, and the historical significance of spiritual music was important.
Later Negro spirituals evolved to general Christian songs that were inspired by the Bible as opposed to just daily life. Thomas Dorsey is considered to be the "Father of Gospel Music." Dorsey started out composing blues music and accompanied Ma Rainey and Bessie Smith. While attending a Baptist convention he first heard more spiritual music that motivated him to write religious tunes. He omitted the bawdy lyrics but kept the jazzy beats and rhythms. Of course this type of music was rejected by most spiritual leaders at the time who considered it "devil's music." But in actuality Dorsey's music helped attract those who might not otherwise be interested in attending church services. To ensure gospel music and its history would always be remembered and celebrated, Dorsey founded the National Convention of Gospel Choirs and Choruses in 1932, which is still in existence.
Today's gospel music is not just considered "black music." It is a term that encompasses all types of religious music including traditional, contemporary Christian, Southern and even hip-hop. The history of gospel music has its roots in suffering and pain, but yet it has much to be celebrated. As it crosses over to Rhythm and Blues and other types of music, it is reaching a mainstream audience and can only grow in popularity.