Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Name this preacher, win a prize.

Sean Hannity continues to mention Jeremiah Wright’s name every night on Fox News, as if convinced that this eventually will destroy Barack Obama.

But if Hannity is truly shocked that a resentment of America’s racial past would be expressed in black churches, he’s stupider than he looks.

Here’s a contest. Click here and listen to a black preacher preach.

The first person to correctly name this preacher in the comments section here will win a prize.

The prize is a double CD from Smithsonian Folkways: “Voices of the Civil Rights Movement: Black American Freedom Songs, 1960-1966.”

One guess per person.

UPDATE (03/28/08): We have a winner. Lolo figured out that this preacher is the Rev. Jasper Williams.

The sermon, titled “I’m Black and I’m Proud,” is for sale at eMusic. It was recorded in the late 1960s.

I present it here to make the point (for those who need it explained) that talking about “white oppressors” from the pulpit didn’t start with Jeremiah Wright.

16 comments:

Unknown said...

Rev. D. Starnes???

Kellybelle said...

Calvin Butts?

Malcolm said...

So far, Fox is the only "news" station that is pushing this story.

It would be a wonderful turnabout if everyone suddenly realized what Fox was, and just ignored them.

Anonymous said...

Al Sharpton?

willowtree said...

Martin Luther King Sr????

Anonymous said...

Fox, ...such sad commentary.

Willie Wilson?

Anonymous said...

Reverend Chapman

Ann Brock said...

Franklin!

Undercover Black Man said...

^ Close, JJB.

Let me provide a hint to all...

Think about how sermons are structured. Now, based on this audio clip, if you Google the right three words, the answer will leap up.

Undercover Black Man said...

If anyone who guessed before would like to try again, with benefit of the hint... go for it!

Anonymous said...

Rev. Jasper Williams

Undercover Black Man said...

^ Winner! Hit me with a mailing address, Lolo, and I'll send your prize.

Email me at undercoverblackman (at) mac.com.

Ann Brock said...

UBM how did I miss that? I love his sermons.

Anonymous said...

Am I wrong for not knowing who this minister is, or why the fact that he said this is significant? Can someone fill me in? Thanks.

Anonymous said...

I've heard the name but I, too didn't know he was significant. What's the deal?

Anonymous said...

Ah, Jasper Williams.

Very interesting pick. Here' s the story on Jasper. He's largely responsible for the way black preachers preach - in terms of technique at least.

A lot of black preachers take a seminar called "The Hoop" from Jasper. For those who do not know "hooping" is the technique of finding the right moments to elevate your sermon into the kind of call and response, half song/half talk rhythm that really gets a crowd going. The preaching equivalent of using piano and forte dynamics in music. There's a whole theory of when and how to do it that's absolutely fascinating.

It's actually a formal class with a book and tape, and he's been the Zig Zigler of hooping for the past 30 years or so. Major major figure in preaching circles.