In 1979, President Jimmy Carter chose the month of June as Black Music Month to honor the many contributions Black Music had made to American culture. In 2009, President Barack Obama renamed Black Music Month to African American Appreciation Month with a Presidential Proclamation.

The month appreciates the various genres of music such as Rhythm & Blues, Jazz, the Blues, Rap, Spirituals, and Gospel Music. The rhythmic sounds of Gospel music are a staple at Christian Faith Baptist Church. Thomas A. Dorsey became known as the “Father of Gospel Music” blending the sound of jazz and the Blues into the songs of the church.

The “Negro” spirituals in particular contained messages of freedom and hope for the slaves. Those same spirituals were used during the Civil Rights era in the fight for justice. The hymn “Lift Every Voice and Sing,’ written by James Weldon Johnson, captured and expressed the struggle of African Americans as well as provided hope for the future. We at Christian Faith Baptist Church were blessed to have had accomplished musician Dr. Roland Carter as part of our church family. He directed our church choir in his noted arrangement of “Lift Every Voice and Sing”.

The Apostle Paul wrote, “...Be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your hearts to the Lord.”  Take time during this month to remember the songs of our faith that have been and continue to be instrumental in our Christian journey.