Jazz 91.9 WCLK to present a series of specials and digital programming in connection with PBS’ ‘The Black Church’ Support provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting
Atlanta, GA (February 4, 2021) – Jazz 91.9 WCLK presents a series of specials and digital programming in connection with “The Black Church: This Is Our Story, This Is Our Song,” the upcoming PBS documentary series by Dr. Henry Louis Gates. WCLK will host two virtual panel discussions on February 9 and 10 at 7:00 p.m., EST, featuring Black cultural leaders in Greater Atlanta along with exclusive clips from the upcoming series. Kiplyn Primus, host of “WCLK’s The Local Take” will moderate the sessions and facilitate discussions with panelists.
The Tuesday, February 9 virtual event will center on education as well as Civil Rights/political leadership and the influence of the Black Church. Panelists include: Rev. Dr. Darrell D. Elligan, National Church Residences and Pastor, True Light Baptist Church, Atlanta, GA; Rodney Evans, Announcer, Joy in the Morning, Jazz 91.9 WCLK and Co-Pastor of Faith Temple Missionary Baptist, Atlanta, GA; and, Rev. Dr. Tonya L. Miles, University Chaplain/Director, Office of Religious Life, Clark Atlanta University.
The Wednesday, February 10 virtual event will center on faith and the spiritual healing of Gospel Music, social enrichment of community and the significance of the Black Church. Panelists include: Rev. T. Renée Crutcher, Founder/CEO/Spiritual and Creative Director at Sankofa Ministries & Tellin' Our Story Publishing, Inc.; Rodney Evans, Announcer, Joy in the Morning, Jazz 91.9 WCLK and Co-Pastor of Faith Temple Missionary Baptist, Atlanta, GA; Rev. Dr. Tonya L. Miles, University Chaplain/Director, Office of Religious Life, Clark Atlanta University; and, Khalfani Lawson, Alumnus, Emory University, Candler School of Theology.
“Jazz 91.9 WCLK is pleased to partner with PBA and GPB to offer these specials and digital programming to explore the cultural and historical importance of local Black churches and their musical traditions to the Greater Atlanta community,” says Wendy Williams, general manager, Jazz 91.9 WCLK.
Throughout the month of February, WCLK will also air a series of vignettes by Black pastors turned politicians. On Saturdays, February 6 and 13 at 8:00 a.m., WCLK’s The Local Take with Kiplyn Primus will focus on the role of the Black Church as it relates to: the Civil Rights Movement, producing Black politicians and its position today during the health pandemic.
On February 14 at 9:00 a.m., WCLK will present a Songversation and Interfaith Assembly during Joy in the Morning Gospel with Rodney Evans featuring a special musical guests and words of motivation, inspiration and hope from Greater Atlanta faith based leaders. The engagements are funded by a grant from the Corporation of Public Broadcasting.
“‘The Black Church’ is a landmark documentary that beautifully illustrates the preeminent role church, faith and spirituality have played in shaping the Black American experience,” said Pat Harrison, president and CEO of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. “Through these grants, we are helping public media stations -- public radio as well as public television -- leverage the documentary series to bring together new partners and explore how the role of the Black church has evolved in their communities and impacted our nation.”
“The Black Church: This Is Our Story, This Is Our Song” is a four-hour documentary series tracing the 400-year history of the Black church in America, produced by McGee Media, Inkwell Media and WETA Washington, D.C., in association with Get Lifted. The series features interviews with John Legend, Oprah Winfrey, Jennifer Hudson, Bishop Michael Curry, Cornel West, Pastor Shirley Caesar, Rev. Al Sharpton, Yolanda Adams, Rev. William Barber II, BeBe Winans, Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie and more. It premieres at 9:00 p.m., EST on February 16 and 17 on PBA and GPB along with PBS stations nationwide, as well as streaming on the PBS app, PBS Passport and PBS.org.
“Our series is a riveting and systematic exploration of the myriad ways in which African Americans have worshipped God in their own images, and continue to do so today, from the plantation and prayer houses, to camp meetings and store-front structures, to mosques and mega-churches," said Gates, the Alphonse Fletcher University Professor at Harvard University and director of the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research. "This is the story and song our ancestors bequeathed to us, and it comes at a time in our country when the very things they struggled and died for — faith and freedom, justice and equality, democracy and grace — all are on the line. No social institution in the Black community is more central and important than the Black church.”
Major corporate support for “The Black Church: This Is Our Story, This Is Our Song” is provided by Johnson & Johnson. Major support is also provided by the Lilly Endowment Inc., Ford Foundation, and by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, PBS and public television viewers. Public radio station engagement grants are funded by CPB and administered by the VuHaus Group, a public media music organization of stations.
About Jazz 91.9 WCLK
Jazz 91.9 WCLK, a 501(c)3 nonprofit radio station licensed to Clark Atlanta University, is committed to preserving the legacy of Jazz through dynamic Jazz musical selections, cultural programming and community-focused initiatives. Founded in 1974, Jazz 91.9 WCLK broadcasts a mix of Classic and Contemporary Jazz and Gospel music. WCLK is a nonprofit, member supported, National Public Radio (NPR) affiliate station that serves the interest of the citizens in Greater Atlanta. For more station information, programming details, and to listen on the Web, please visit: WCLK.com.
About CPB
The Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private, nonprofit corporation created by Congress in 1967, is the steward of the federal government’s investment in public broadcasting. It helps support the operations of more than 1,500 locally managed and operated public television and radio stations nationwide. CPB is also the largest single source of funding for research, technology and program development for public radio, television and related online services. For more information, visit cpb.org, follow us on Twitter @CPBmedia, Facebook and LinkedIn and subscribe for email updates.
About VuHaus
VuHaus Group is a non-profit organization dedicated to serving public media stations. With greater emphasis on increasing the impact and reach of our station affiliates, VuHaus Group creates meaningful and collaborative branding, editorial, revenue and distribution opportunities. VuHaus Group is supported by seed funding and ongoing grants from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and includes public radio stations WFUV in New York City, KCRW in Los Angeles, Vocalo Radio in Chicago, KXT in Dallas/Ft. Worth, Houston Public Media, WXPN in Philadelphia, WRTI in Philadelphia, WGBH in Boston, KEXP in Seattle, Indie 102.3 in Denver, opbmusic in Portland, KDHX in St. Louis, KUTX in Austin, KTBG The Bridge in Kansas City, WUNC Music in Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill, WMOT in Nashville, WNXP in Nashville, 88Nine Radio Milwaukee in Milwaukee, Live From Cain’s in Tulsa, Mountain Stage in West Virginia and Colorado Sound in Fort Collins. In October 2019, VuHaus.com VuHaus.com, became Live Sessions on NPR.org, which is still curated and controlled by VuHaus Group and its member stations.