10-02-2025
Mobile church bridges racial divide through song, history
MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG) — A Mobile Church continues its efforts to bridge the racial divide with a special Black History Month program, highlighting the talent and skills of African Americans.
From a booming choir, to the Excelsior band, hymns with black heritage, and a large gathering of members of a black leadership group, the Kappa League, in the pews, there's a lot to hear.
'Highlight is the music, the rhythm of the intellectual spaces that African-Americans just have shared and given to the United States,' said Kappa League Advisor Carl Cunningham Jr. This is the fourth annual Black History Month program at Christ Church Cathedral, a predominantly white congregation in downtown.
'It acknowledges a significant part of our heritage in history. It acknowledges the wideness and the depth of our community. It helps us to mend and heal the breach that has existed between us historically. And it allows us to acknowledge the gift to the younger generation as we move forward,' said Christ Church Cathedral Rector Beverly Gibson. It's been said Sunday is the most segregated day of the week and programs like this try to change that.
'Bridge it with hospitality. I think you bridge with shared endeavors. I think that it's important to respect the deep tradition and the church homes and lives of African Americans themselves and to acknowledge that that is of deep value,' said Gibson. The service begins with an uplifting medley of songs from the Coahoma Community College Choir out of Mississippi
'I think it educates and celebrates American history and also the work that we do in the Episcopal Church,' said Cunningham.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
