Novelist and playwright Darryl Pinckney discusses why Kathleen Battle and Jessye Norman’s spirituals concert at Carnegie Hall mattered to NYC and the African American community.
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TRANSCRIPT
♪♪ There were a lot of people in the audience. It was so mixed, which is also rare.
It certainly was rare at the time for classical performances.
A lot of people who, you know, didn't go to opera but wanted to hear this music sung by these acclaimed people.
Everyone could feel what a moment it was because, remember Bush senior was still president.
This conservative backlash that was very much underway or continuing from Reagan and a real hostile environment in America toward Black rights, everyone's civil rights.
So this event meant a great deal. A really a great deal.
♪♪ ♪♪ Great day! Great day, the righteous marching ♪♪ ♪♪ Great day! God's going to build up Zion's walls! ♪♪ ♪♪ Great day! Great day, the righteous marching; Great day! God's going to build up Zion's walls! ♪♪ ♪♪Chariot rode on the mountain top ♪♪ ♪♪ God's going to build up Zion's walls! ♪♪ ♪♪ My God spoke and the chariot did stop ♪♪ ♪♪ God's goin' to build up Zion's walls! ♪♪ ♪♪ This is the day of jubilee, God's going to build up Zion's walls! ♪♪ ♪♪ The Lord has set His people free, God's going to build up Zion's walls! ♪♪ ♪♪ Great day! Great day, the righteous marching; Great day! God's going to build up Zion's walls! ♪♪ ♪♪ Great day! Great day, the righteous marching; Great day! God's going to build up Zion's walls! ♪♪ [vocalizing]
