The lovely ladies, Reverend Angela Jones and her sister, Dr. Alisha Lola Jones, graced us with their presence on Sunday, the 21st of January, 2024. It was such a heartwarming experience that two sisters shared the podium, singing their hearts out and, of course, harmonizing the different pitches. You should have been there!
My three main takeaways from this event are that music is a tool of social justice, Rhythm is a form of communication, and the body is a musical instrument. They had little segments where they stopped the music and gave tiny historical mark stories and the role of music as a way of passing information. In fact, in the south of the Mason-Dickson line in the US pre-emancipation, the South Carolina government banned drumming to prevent people from communicating with each other, and they had to come up with ways to re-introduce rhythm into the songs. They found alternatives, like stomping and clapping. They encouraged us to feel the music and emphasize the consonants to ensure we convey the intended message as a way to amplify sound before using sound technology, speakers, and microphones. Rev. Angela is around the whole semester, so you are free to enjoy her gospel choir anytime.
~Holiness Kerandi ‘26