SUNY Potsdam Class Hosts Community Hymn Singing Event

Potsdam Rhetoric of the Black Church Class Hosts Event Highlighting Spirituals and African-American Hymns on Nov. 30

Potsdam, NY (11/26/2018) — SUNY Potsdam students are organizing a community hymn singing event to celebrate spirituals and hymns from the African-American tradition, to be held this Friday, Nov. 30 from 5:30 to 8 p.m., in Dunn Theater.

Students in the "Rhetoric of the Black Church" class, which is taught by Associate Professor of English and Communication Dr. John Youngblood, will work with local church congregations and community members to teach and perform various hymns from the African-American tradition.

The students have worked hard this semester to learn these hymns, many of which are also considered slave hymns. The students have grown to appreciate the hymns associated with traditional African-American worship services, and look forward to working with local congregations to share what they have learned.

The first hour of the event will be spent teaching the songs, before everyone joins their voices to perform the works together.

The hymns that will be highlighted include: "Glory, Glory, Hallelujah," "I Am Free," "Pass Me Not, O Gentle Savior," "Angels in Heaven," "Wade in the Water," "Amazing Grace (My Chains are Gone)," "Thank You, Lord," "This May Be the Last Time, I Don't Know" and "Precious Lord."

All are welcome to attend this free event.

The SUNY Potsdam Department of English and Communication challenges students to explore the varied ways that people speak, write and read. The department offers both undergraduate and graduate degrees, as well as SUNY's only Bachelor of Fine Arts program in creative writing. For more information, visit http://www.potsdam.edu/academics/AAS/Engl.

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