This past weekend, a concert coined “Art of a Spiritual” drew a sold-out audience to the Marshall L. Davis Sr. African Heritage Cultural Arts Center, highlighting the enduring emotional and cultural power of Negro spirituals. Beloved songs such as Give Me Jesus, Nobody Knows the Trouble I’ve Seen, and Joshua Fit the Battle of Jericho filled the Center as expressions of worship, resilience and hope.
Emerging between the late 18th and mid-19th centuries, spirituals fused West and Central African musical traditions such as call-and-response, polyrhythm, improvisation, and communal singing with Christian hymns and biblical narratives introduced during slavery. On plantations and in praise houses, these songs served as worship, refuge, and at times, coded communication, often drawing on biblical liberation stories. After Emancipation, groups such as the Fisk Jubilee Singers helped carry spirituals from oral tradition to the concert stage, influencing gospel, blues, jazz, and much of American music.
The concert opened with the New Canon Chamber Collective, setting a reflective tone for the evening. Baritone Angel Refusé, joined by pianist Kevin Wayne Bumpers and drummer Daniel Washington, delivered a rendition of Witness.
“I wanted to bring back the drums to our performance because I believe it to be relevant,” said Refusé.
Brandii Moore offered an expressive It’s Me, O Lord, while Lady of Harp presented her interpretation of H. T. Burleigh’s Spiritual Meditation.
The Center honored Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church of Coconut Grove, founded in 1895, and the Collective Empowerment Group on Saturday.
(Gregory Reed)
The Florida Memorial University Ambassador Chorale, alongside Isis Roberts, brought the audience to its feet with performances of There’s a Balm in Gilead and Great Day.
Additionally, in recognition of both the centennial observance of Black History Month, founded by Dr. Carter G. Woodson, and the nation’s approaching 250th anniversary, the Center honored Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church of Coconut Grove, founded in 1895, and the Collective Empowerment Group for their longstanding commitment to cultural preservation and community empowerment.
“Today, spirituals continue to speak powerfully across generations,” said Center Director Marshall L. Davis Sr., whose birthday coincided with the event. “Themes of faith, perseverance, and justice remain deeply relevant in contemporary cultural and social conversations.”
The Center’s next major event is Night at the Sir John’s Knight Beat on Friday, Feb. 27, 2026 at 7 p.m. Tickets are available on Eventbrite for $28–$50.