The Swarthmore College Department of Music and Dance, Black Cultural Center, and the Elizabeth Pollard Fetter Chamber Music Program present The Howard Gospel Choir on Saturday, September 24th at 8pm in Lang Concert Hall.

Founded in the late 1960s by Melanie Russell (Lee) and Rosalind Thompkins (Lynch), the Howard Gospel Choir (HGC) is the first collegiate choir of its kind in the world. As a result, HGC has pioneered an international legacy in gospel music ministry. With an active roster of seventy-plus persons that consists of students and alumni from Howard
University, as well as others from the surrounding community, the choir is one of the largest religious life organizations on campus, operating under the historic Andrew Rankin Memorial Chapel. The Dean of the Chapel, the Reverend Dr. Bernard Richardson serves as the choir’s advisor.

In addition to distinguished professionals in every imaginable discipline, past members of this award-winning ensemble include Grammy Award© winners Richard Smallwood, Coré Cotton (member of Sounds of Blackness), and Elbernita “Twinkie” Clark of the legendary Clark Sisters, as well as R&B star Ángela Winbush. Exceptional musicians have always been instrumental in shaping HGC’s unique sound to embrace both contemporary and traditional gospel, church hymns, Negro spirituals and classically arranged anthems. For twenty-five years, the late Arphelius Paul Gatling, III served as the Musical Director.

Learn more here