The death of Richard Smallwood, the legendary gospel composer and musician whose work reshaped Black church worship, on Dec. 30 at age 77, has prompted tributes across congregations and the music world. Best known for “Total Praise” and other modern hymns, Smallwood blended classical training with gospel tradition, leaving a lasting spiritual and musical legacy that continues to resonate across denominations and generations.
Author Archives: The Rev. Dorothy S. Boulware
AFRO Editor
Posted inReligion
Watch Night: How Black Americans welcomed freedom with prayer
Watch Night, also known as Freedom’s Eve, is a sacred New Year’s Eve tradition in Black communities rooted in Christian worship and remembrance of Dec. 31, 1862, when enslaved and free African Americans gathered in prayer to await the Emancipation Proclamation. The tradition endures today as a blend of faith, cultural ritual and historical memory, honoring both spiritual perseverance and the long struggle for freedom.
Posted inWord In Black
7 Christmas carols with a touch of soul
Black composers and arrangers shape the Christmas repertoire, adding spirituals and gospel songs that endure across generations.
Posted inSports
Baltimore Ravens’ gift to schoolkids: Clean feet and new kicks
Baltimore Ravens stars Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry, Zay Flowers and teammates humbled themselves in a rare pre-Christmas act of service, washing the feet of students at Severn Elementary School before gifting them new sneakers. Rooted in an ancient Christian tradition symbolizing humility and love, the ritual offered a powerful lesson that true greatness is shown through service to others.
Posted inWord In Black
As SNAP benefits stall, Black churches step up to feed America
As the government shutdown halts SNAP benefits for millions of Americans, Black churches across the country are stepping up to fill the gap. Congregations like New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Georgia and Open Altar Ministries in Virginia are expanding food programs, feeding thousands, and demonstrating the Black Church’s long tradition of community care. With food insecurity disproportionately affecting Black households, faith leaders are mobilizing resources, donations, and volunteers to ensure no family goes hungry.
Posted inReligion
‘A Master Teacher’: Remembering Dr. W. James “Jimmie” Abbington
Dr. W. James “Jimmie” Abbington, a renowned musician, scholar, and educator known as the “dean of Black church music,” died Sept. 27 at age 65. Recently appointed as Duke University Divinity School’s first professor of Black sacred music, Abbington’s lifelong mission was to preserve and elevate African American sacred music as both art and theology.
Posted inWashington D.C. News
Bridging the ‘Black-Blue Divide’ — one congregation at a time
Faith and Blue, a national initiative launched in 2020 by MovementForward, invites police officers into houses of worship to foster trust and dialogue with communities that have often viewed law enforcement with skepticism. At Set the Captives Free Outreach Center in Maryland and hundreds of churches nationwide, congregations are bridging the “Black-Blue divide” through worship, conversation, and shared activities with local officers.
Posted inWord In Black
Rev. Jamal Bryant: Target is canceled. Dollar General’s next
On the fifth anniversary of George Floyd’s murder, faith leaders held prayer vigils outside Target stores to protest the company’s retreat from its racial equity commitments, leading Rev. Jamal Bryant to announce a full cancellation of the retailer. Calling it the most successful Black boycott since Montgomery, Bryant said the movement has cost Target $1 billion in valuation and is now turning its focus to holding Dollar General accountable for failing Black communities.
Posted inWord In Black
Hoodoo vs. Holy Ghost: The ‘Sinners’ controversy
The film “Sinners” has become a box office hit while igniting debate over whether its portrayal of Hoodoo and evil in the Jim Crow South is anti-Christian or a deeper cultural and spiritual exploration. While some critics call it demonic, many argue it respectfully presents African traditions and challenges viewers to confront uncomfortable truths about faith, race and history.
Posted inReligion
A Black pope? Francis made it a possibility
Pope Francis, who died at age 88, leaves behind a legacy of advocacy for marginalized communities, including Black people, through actions like appointing the first African-American cardinal and condemning racism as a sin. His inclusive leadership reshaped the Catholic Church’s global power dynamics and opened the possibility for the election of the first Black pope.
Posted inReligion
What is Holy Week and why does it matter?
Holy Week commemorates the final days of Jesus’ life, highlighting both his sacrifice and his acts of resistance against empire and injustice, culminating in his resurrection on Easter Sunday. While many see Jesus as a loving savior, Holy Week invites believers to also recognize his radical challenge to power and the modern-day church’s call to carry on that spirit through justice, reflection and community action.
Posted inReligion
Bishop Michael Curry’s gospel of love
By Rev. Dorothy S. Boulware Overview: Appointed in 2015, Curry, a widely respected theologian, guided the Episcopal Church through challenging times, including the COVID-19 pandemic and racial reconciliation. Bishop Michael Curry has no doubt: There is evil in the world. Turn on the evening news, as he does most days, and you’ll see plenty of […]