CSO Gospel Choir: 'The Myth—40 Acres and a Mule: An Epic Chronicling of African-American Land, 2015 Piccolo Spoleto Festival Sat., May 30 Citadel Baptist Church

DeVona Jaworski Boyd
(MetroMusicMinistries.org)

The CSO Gospel Choir is pleased to present The Myth—40 Acres and a Mule: An Epic Chronicling of African-American Land Preservation as part of the 2015 Piccolo Spoleto Festival Saturday, May 30 Citadel Baptist Church, 328 Meeting Street, Charleston at 5:00pm featuring guest director D.J. Boyd.

Through song and narration, The Myth—40 Acres and a Mule: An Epic Chronicling of African-American Land Preservation tells the epic story demystifying the myth of land ownership among emancipated African-Americans who continued to toil and survive as sharecroppers on nearby land where they were once enslaved.

Ranging from the jubilation of newly found freedom, to the long and arduous multi-generational effects of sharecropping, the CSO Gospel Choir tells the poignant story of this unique American experience, of how newly freed people struggled to acquire and to hold on to their land. 

“We are delighted to bring this performance and shine a light on a problem still very much alive today in many rural areas throughout South Carolina, and other parts of the deep south,” said Lee Pringle, CSO Gospel Choir President and event producer.

Tickets and Information

CSO Gospel Choir

The Myth—40 Acres and a Mule Benefit for Center for Heirs’ Property Preservation

Saturday, May 30, 2015, 5:00pm

Citadel Square Baptist Church, 328 Meeting Street, Charleston, SC

General Admission tickets: $21 adults; children or students $11 with ID

Advance tickets online: www.piccolospoleto.com; by phone (866) 811-4111; at door (cash or check only) up to one half hour before each performance

About the CSO Gospel Choir

Now in its fifteenth year, the CSO Gospel Choir, Charleston’s celebrated culturally diverse choir, performs gospel, spirituals and sacred music for annual concert events including a Palm Sunday performance, CSO Gospel Christmas, Piccolo Spoleto and regional events throughout the southeast and numerous engagements in Europe including Paris, London, Rome and Prague and Ghana West Africa. CSOGospel.com

About Guest Director D.J. Boyd

DeVona Jaworski Boyd, affectionately known as D.J., is a native of Whitmire, SC. At age five his musical journey began with formal piano lessons that continued during school marching and symphonic band programs. While attending college he served as the appointed personal pianist to the university president providing instrumental music for major university events.

His choral career includes serving as Assistant Director of Music and Arts at Friendship Missionary Baptist and Director of Worship at St. Luke Missionary Baptist Church in Charlotte, NC. Mr. Boyd is a member of the American Choral Directors Association and National Association of Negro Musicians He is a graduate of Winthrop University with a Bachelors of Arts in Music.

Promotional images available upon request

CSO Gospel Choir PO Box 22724 Charleston, SC 29413-2724

www.csogospel.com