Arsht Impact Gospel Fest Miami: GOSPEL - The Gospel Train Screening

From acclaimed scholar Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Gospel explores Black spirituality in sermon and song. From the blues to hip-hop, African Americans have been the driving force of sonic innovation for over a century. While musical styles come and go, there is one sound that has been a constant source of strength, courage and wisdom from the pulpit to the choir lofts on any given Sunday: gospel. Gospel’s hour 1 takes the gospel train north to Chicago, where southern migrants Thomas A. Dorsey, Mahalia Jackson and Sister Rosetta Tharpe blended the melodic sounds and instrumentation of blues and jazz with lyrics about God’s goodness. Like the blues, gospel would become a commodity, but one built by Black-owned publishing companies like Martin and Morris and sustained by Black audiences. Screening of The Gospel Train by PBS will be followed by a conversation with Grammy Award winner and pioneering figure in gospel music, Dr. Bobby Jones.