Welcome to The Newsfeed.

I'm Paris Jackson.

This year marks 100 years since the first Black History Week that we now recognize as Black History Month.

Today, we're focusing on a genre of music, gospel, that is a cornerstone for the Black American experience.

For hundreds of years, gospel has evolved through generations and historical periods.

Yet it remains a spiritual refuge, centering faith, resilience, and hope for Black folks and other communities.

Take a listen as we go inside Greater Glory Ministries in South Seattle and they perform their gospel favorites.

-Lord, I will, Lord, I will lift.

All right.

We're fixing some things.

Gospel music means the good news.

The gospel itself means the good news of Jesus Christ.

So it's the life, the death, the resurrection of our Savior.

Gospel music means hope.

It means a future.

You know, there's a there's a psalm.

Psalm 46, it says God is our refuge and our strength, a very present help in the time of trouble.

And as the Psalm goes on, it says, though the earth be removed, though mountains shake, though waters be troubled.

There is still a river whose streams make glad the city of God.

And that's why I think gospel music is important, because it remains that stream, that stream that moves around rocks.

It moves through rough terrain.

It never stops.

It's a, it's a source of strength.

It's a source of nourishment for thirsty souls.

-"Lord, I will lift my eyes to the hills.

Your peace You give me in time of the storm.

You are the strength of my life.

I lift my hands in total praise to You.

Amen."

-Gospel music isn't something that you can just tell people about.

They have to experience.

They have to... they have to sit in the midst of a gospel song.

Doesn't have to be a church service.

It could be a choir rehearsal.

You know, just sit in the midst of a gospel song, get a gospel CD and just let it play through your house.

You will feel the joy infused through those lyrics and infused through those words, through those, those, those notes.

And it will pierce your soul and it will change your life.

But you won't believe me unless you experience it for yourself.

There is a river with a stream that makes glad... The city of our God.

Let's praise him.

-I'm Paris Jackson.

Thank you for watching The Newsfeed, your destination for nonprofit Northwest news.

Go to CascadePBS.org for more.