A Dialogue about gospel and Black spirituality
Left to right: Reginald Hardwick, IPM News & Public Affairs Director; Dr. Leonard McKinnis, UIUC professor of African American religions and Black studies; musician Aaron Wilson, pointing his mic to the crowd for call and response; and Dr. Malaika McKee, UIUC professor in the College of Education. Nathan Gonzalez, IPM News
This week, our entire hour is about gospel music and Black spirituality, which was the subject for a recent PBS documentary series 'Gospel.' It was produced and hosted by professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. The series shows us that Chicago was the birthplace of modern gospel music thanks to composer Thomas Dorsey, who co-founded the National Convention of Gospel Choirs and Choruses in 1933. The discussion was taped in front of a crowd at The Virginia Theatre in Champaign on February 16, 2024.
Guests:
Dr. Malaika McKee
Assistant professor of education policy, organization and leadership at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Dr. Leonard Cornell McKinnis, II
Professor, African American Religions and Black Studies at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Aaron Wilson
Danville native and musician
Below are videos connected to the series 'Gospel' and some of the music included in this week's episode.