The Rev. Dr. Amos C. Brown, "a walking history book," requested the Latter-day Saint pioneer anthem for his pastor emeritus designation service.

Negro spirituals spread across the country as slaves would leave one place and go to another, said Carl G. Harris, professor of music at Hampton University in Virginia.

From its towering white steeple and red-brick facade to its Sunday services filled with rousing gospel hymns and evangelistic sermons, First Baptist Church of A ...

Newsome, a former coal miner who has black lung disease, started singing when he joined a church in 1963. His sings a cappella in a lined-out hymn style — one of America's oldest music traditions.

The system of slavery destroyed and separated millions of families. The consequences of escaping to freedom kept many slaves from leaving, so they used hymns and spirituals to mentally escape.

Even under the watch of the white man, Black clergymen and worshippers at First Baptist were able to develop a code system to praise words of hope and sing to better days through hymns and sermons.

The system of slavery destroyed and separated millions of families. The consequences of escaping to freedom kept many slaves from leaving, so they used hymns and spirituals to mentally escape.

Another Third Baptist church member approached a reporter before the Sunday morning service, as the choir rehearsed the hymn one last time, and reverently repeated his favorite part, “No toil ...

The system of slavery destroyed and separated millions of families. The consequences of escaping to freedom kept many slaves from leaving, so they used hymns and spirituals to mentally escape.