This is a genuine treasure. Black History Collection: Soul of the Church is a collection of vintage broadcasts of gospel superstars of the 1960’s, taken from a Sunday morning television show called TV Gospel Time and not seen for decades. TV Gospel Time (1962-65). The half-hour, Chicago-based show aired on NBC Sunday mornings – merging music and God’s word – attracting a mostly African-American audience (and sponsors), but introduced the genre to a non-Black audience. Featuring guests on location (to save travel costs) it highlighted non-professional performers alongside the day’s biggest stars. Performers include Rev. James Cleveland, Ernestine Washington, Blind Boys of Mississippi, Barrett Sisters, Ruth Brown, Sallie Martin, Alex Bradford, Dixie Hummingbirds, Jessie Mae Renfro, Harmonizing Four, Clouds of Joy, Highway QCs, Marie Knight, Caravans, Three Professors of Gospel and more.
This DVD is a stirring tribute to the roots of gospel in “Black folk music” and fervent, camp-meeting religion. Gospel, meaning “good news,” derives its name from the books of the New Testament (the gospels of the apostles). Though the genre continues to grow in variety and sound, gospel dates to an oral tradition of the 18th century – when many Blacks were unable to read – allowing all to participate in worship. Ministering to the downtrodden and disenfranchised is at its core.
I have one copy of the DVD to give away to the first person who sends me an email to moviemom@moviemom.com with “Gospel” in the subject line.