This pre-performance lecture traces gospel music’s roots to embarking upon a journey from African American spirituals, hymnody, and choirs of the Black church experience, along with the profound influence on R&B, soul, rock, and hip-hop. Gospel music is not a genre of song, but a powerful testimony of the global pursuit for liberty and justice for all.
We’re gonna take a trip
on that good old gospel ship
And we’ll go sailing through the air
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21
5:30 – 6:30 PM at the Merrill Auditorium Rehearsal Hall
20 Myrtle Street, Portland
Free, no rsvp needed
ACCESSIBILITY
Doors to the Merrill Auditorium Rehearsal Hall are on Myrtle Street. ASL available upon request.
This pre-performance lecture is open to all guests, and the concert that follows is ticketed. At the conclusion of the lecture, guests with concert tickets exit the rehearsal hall, and re-enter Merrill Auditorium at the auditorium entrance for security and ticket scanning.
ABOUT REV. KENNETH I. LEWIS
Rev. Kenneth I. Lewis is pastor of Green Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church in Portland, Maine’s oldest historically Black congregation. A preacher, teacher, and community leader, he has championed the role of gospel music as both spiritual witness and cultural heritage. His lectures and workshops trace the evolution of gospel from the sorrow songs of slavery to its global influence on soul, rock, hip-hop, and world music.
With a passion for connecting local stories to global movements, Rev. Lewis brings a unique perspective to the stage, inviting audiences to experience gospel music not only as performance, but as testimony, history, and hope.
