January, 31 2008
A Celebration of Life
THE VOICE
Cherice A. Washington
Opinion Editor
Gospel music was a part of African
American culture before afros, black panthers,
and Tims . Before our ancestors could read and
write tfiey were out there in the fields singing
hymns.
But how did Gospel music get to be os
big os it is now? Who had the vision to take
the slave hymns and turn them into songs that
are sung in churches today? This visionary was
Charles Albert Tindley, who is the father of Gos
pel music.
On Monday January 21, 2008, Dr.
Martin Luther King Jr. day, FSU paid tribute to
Charles Albert Tindley. The celebration concert
held in the Seabrook Auditorium was sponsored
by the College of Humanities and Social Sciences
and the Department of Perfoirming and Fine Arts.
The event opened up with a riveting oratory of
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by Stephon Ferguson.
The oratory was a compilation of many of Dr.
King's speeches including his famous "I Have a
Dream Speech".
Following the oratory, Stan R. Waring,
a professor of Speech and Theater here at the
university, started narrating the life of Charles
Albert Tindley.
Charles Tindley was born in the 1850's
to a slave father and a free mother who died
before he reached the age of two. While work
ing beside slaves and farm hands, Charles was
introduced to Bible stories through their spirituals.
Tindley learned the alphabet and spelling by
collecting newspaper scraps. After learning the
alphabet and spelling, Tindley received lessons
from a school teacher, seven miles away. By age
seventeen, Charles, was able to read and write.
The turn out for the event was commendable and
many FSU students enjoyed themselves. Jasmine
Hammond, a freshman, said "I enjoyed the ora
tory performance because good points were
made.
Also, the vocals of the choir were excel
lent. All in all the program brought me closer to
my heritage".The 11th annual Dr. Martin Luther
King Jr. celebration concert was a complete suc
cess. This program served as a great prelude to
Black History Month and the events tfiat will take
place during that month.
Photo Credit: US Dept
Photo Credit: Justin Reed
Photo Credit: Encyclopedia Brittanica
February 1-
(2001) President George W. Bush proclaimed February as National African American History
month. Bush called upon legislators officials, educators, librarians, and all people of the linited
States to observe the month with appropriate ceremonies, activities, and programs.
February 2-
(1995) Dr. Bernard A. Harris became the first African American to walk in space. This was Dr.
Harris' second mission in space and he bore the rank of Payload Commander. Total, Dr. Harris
logged over 198 hours in space, and traveled 2.9 million miles. Dr. Harris is a member of Kappa
Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.
February 3
(1870) The Fifteenth Amendment of the United States Consititution was ratified. This document
provides that all governments in the United States may not prevent a citizen from voting based on
race, color, or gender.
February 4-
(1913) Rosa Parks, the American Civil Rights Activist is born in Tuskegee, Alabama. Parks be
came famous for refusing to obey a bus driver and make room for a white passenger, which
sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott in 1955.
February 5-
(1984) Charles "Chuck" Cooper, the NBA legend dies. Chuck was the first black to be drafted by
an NBA team in 1950 with the the Boston Celtics after college. During his NBA carrer.
Cooper played for the Milwaukee Hawks, and Ft. Wayne Pistons.
February 6-
(1820) 86 Free African Americns sail from New York City to Sierra Leone, which welcomed free
blacks.
February 7-
(1984) Walt Bergman, an 84-year old freedom rider, who was beaten by the Ku Klux Klanman at
an Alabama bus station in 1961, was awarded a $50,000 judgementby a United States District
court.
February 8-
(1968) The Orangeburg Massacre occured. A crowd of protesters were gathered on the campus
of South Carolina State University, and police fired into the crowd, killing three students and injur
ing twenty-seven. The people were protesting segregation.
February 9-
(1971) Leroy "Satchel" was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. Paige was the first player from
the Negro League to ever recieve this honor.
February 10-
(1989) Ronald H. Brown, former Secretary of Commerce during the Clinton Administration, was
first African American to be elected chairman of the Democrotic National Convention.
February 11-
(1990) Nelson Rolihlahia Mandela, the 11th President of South Africa, after 27 years is released
from prison. Nelson was origionally incarcerated on convictions for crimes while he spearheaded
the struggle against apartheid.
February 12-
(1909) The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People was founded. With W.
E. B. Dubois as one of its primary founders, the organization fought to abolish forced segregation
and enforce the 14th and 15th Amendments.
February 13-
(1913) Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. is founded on the campus of Howard University.
Delta Sigma Theta is currently the largest African American sorority in the world with more than
950 chapters.
The Voice has compiled a sypnopsis
of dates that are significant in African
American history. On these dates are
specific events that occureof, some
good and some bad. The Staff at
The Voice encourages everyone to be
mindful of African American Heritage
during the month of February. This
is part one of a two issue series of
dates in Black History: Important to
Remember. In the next issue^ the re-
mainder of February's dates in black
history will be present.
Interested in Photography?
Come take pictures for us!
The Voice
photoeditor @ fsuvoice. com