Oldest Black Singers' Organization Installs Its First Woman President In Its 79 Year History (955 hits)
The oldest African American organization dedicated to singing black gospel music, the National Convention of Gospel Choirs and Choruses (NCGCC), is celebrating its 79th Annual Convention in Washington, D.C. this week with the inauguration of its first woman president, Dr. Marabeth E. Gentry. Only the third president in the organization’s history, the St. Louis, Missouri native and retired educator was formally installed as the President on August 6 at the Omni Shoreham Hotel.
NCGCC was founded in 1932 by the late Thomas A. Dorsey, a musician who is recognized as the Father/founder of the music genre known as Black Gospel. Dr. Dorsey wrote the popular hymn, “Precious Lord, Take My Hand”, a song that has been translated into more than 30 languages and was featured in the documentary, “Say Amen, Somebody”. This song was reportedly Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s favorite and Mahalia Jackson, who often sang “Precious Lord” for Dr. King at Civil Rights rallies, sung this song at his funeral in 1968.
According to the website, the organization’s mission is “to better...
