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About The Spirituals Project
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I am the Founder and Chair Emeritus of The Spirituals Project. The mission of The Spirituals Projecrt is to preserve and revitalize the music and teachings of the sacred songs called "spirituals," created and first sung by enslaved African peoples in North America in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. The programs of The Spirituals Project include musical performance, education and research, including research into the multi-layered history and impact of the spirituals tradition. As a singer-scholar, I have also personally performed dozens of concert, lecture and workshop programs in community, church, and elementary, secondary, and university settings across the United States.
Founded in 1998, The Spirituals Project has a rich history during its relatively short time in existence, including: performances at the inaugurations of Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper and Colorado Governor Bill Ritter; performances at the 2008 Democratic National Convention; programs featuring prominent artists such as Bernice Johnson Reagon, Dianne Reeves, Denyce Graves, Take Six, and artists from the hip-hop band Flobots; lecture-concert programs throughout the United States; workshops in schools, churches and many other community venues locally and nationally; and interviews with artists and community leaders throughout the United States who are concerned with preserving the spirituals as an important national cultural treasure. The Spirituals Project is known nationwide for its leadership in the spirituals preservation movement, and was the recipient of the 2010 Denver Mayor's Award for Excellence in the Arts.
For more information about The Spirituals Project, which is now an official program of The University of Denver, click here.
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Photos
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I Can Tell the World
Cover photography for the documentary DVD "I Can Tell the World," with official commercial release date of April 20, 2010. To view the film, compliments of the filmmakers Larry Bograd and Coleen Hubbard, click on this link.
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Spirituals Project Choir
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Boys and Girls Club of Washington DC
Spirituals Project Executive Director Connie Rule with students at Boys and Girls Club of Washington, DC, July 2005.
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Senior Advisor Vincent Harding
Spirituals Project Board member Carolyn Ash with Senior Spirituals Project Advisor Vincent Harding at Choir retreat, August 2009.
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Sample Documents and Media Coverage