The BRIGHT HOUSE “Let It Shine” Challenge now underway asks patrons and friends of the Foundation to sign and fulfill pledges of support that equal or surpass a fundraising target ($50,000 for 2013) announced during our World-Premiere Gala.

The nonprofit “Negro Spiritual” Scholarship Foundation is preserving a heritage within America’s musical legacy – the Negro spiritual song – and supporting a future for deserving young people as they transition from high school to college. Along the way our GRADY-RAYAM PRIZE vocal programs develop and showcase talent that is suited to classical singing.

Jacksonville, Florida will hear new singing voices when our 2013 (Florida) GRADY-PRIZE Winning Vocalists Maiya Stevenson (soprano) and Michael Tucks (baritone) appear at Arlington Congregational Church on Friday 17th May 2013 in a program celebrating the Negro spiritual song. The program is free and open to all. The READ MORE link below opens up a flyer that you can share with others.

The term “Negro Spiritual” chosen as part of our name usually modifes the word ‘song’. When taken together the three words ‘Negro spiritual song’ identify a particular body of work deriving from the slave era. (‘Negro spiritual’ is the shorthand version.) African slaves brought with them tunes and rhythms that they matched with new words to create songs telling about their plight. This historic group of uniquely American songs is now recognized universally as a distinct genre of music literature. We have adopted the Negro spiritual as the focus and centerpiece of our agency’s mission.