Newark Boys Chorus School
The Positive Community’s annual Great American Emancipation Day Awards Banquet, celebrates excellence, service, freedom and the genius of Black music in America! Our 5th year theme is inspired by the Maze featuring Frankie Beverly’s soul classic, “We Are One.” How wonderful to gather and fellowship under a banner of spiritual unity, cultural unity and love! We are proud of our honorees whose life’s work demonstrates an unwavering dedication to progress.
Welcome to TPC’s Winter Issue, the Social Justice Edition, Special thanks to Guest Editor, our friend, Jennifer Jones Austin. She has brought together an awesome group of leaders to share their thoughts on important matters of our times. A different side of Rev. Al Sharpton is our featured cover story. In this issue, we pay a special, heartfelt tribute to the legacy of Lt. Governor Sheila Y. Oliver.
Now in its 25th year of publishing Good News from the Church and the Community, our media company remains ever devoted to the community-building ideals of positive change. In other words, we’re on the side of the forward-thinkers: individuals, groups, small businesses, corporations and institutions that care!
The Crisis
Recently we learned that the Newark Boys Chorus School closed in October, 2023. Founded in 1969, the school has been a source of academic learning, music appreciation and community pride! The school could not reach their fundraising goal of about $500,000 needed to continue operations.
The chorus—known as Newark’s Musical Ambassadors— has been heard on six continents, performing a repertoire that included traditional classical music, spirituals, folk music and jazz at venues such as Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, The Kennedy Center, the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) and the White House, according to the school’s website. The chorus also appeared at community events in Newark.
The current crisis in spirituality and culture among our people is best illustrated in today’s music! And now we witness the demise of a vital institution of academic and music excellence. The Newark Boys Chorus School, a light in the world, has dimmed due to a lack of funding. Indeed, the very fortunes of our people will change for the better the day we accept full and complete responsibility for the future of Black music in America. The Newark Boys Chorus School was created for the people; by the people of Newark! It will continue to live, if only we will it to live! Let us mobilize our collective resources to ensure the future of this great institution of music and song.
The Gift
The Positive Community’s contribution to social justice and positive change is in our ministries of cultural literacy and music appreciation. We believe that the progress of our children and the integrity of our African American culture, values and traditions—our collective soul— mean everything. Yes, it is our patriotic duty and our God given right to protect, preserve and promote our very best—America’s best!
The African American Cultural Narrative is the story about us—cultural literacy. It is the truth about who we really are: Liberated, beloved sons and daughters of the Most High God: mighty decedents of the Great American Emancipation—1863–65!
Begin by teaching the Cultural Narrative to a child at about the age of 6. Ideally, by their 13th birthday, a young person should know how to read, write, comprehend, speak and commit to memory this cultural narrative—a new language of freedom. And this is how we secure and fortify the future!
For maximum effect, have a young person rehearse it and then stand before you and read it out loud. Watch what happens—the Spirit of Truth will speak to your soul! The great African American Cultural Narrative—it’s the gift that keeps on giving!
Our Music
Music appreciation goes hand in hand with cultural literacy. They complement one another. Particularly among our people, how can one be culturally literate without appreciation for our greatest collective asset— our music. According to music legend, Duke Ellington: “the Negro has had a major influence on the total culture of America. Which of course, I would say that American music has the greatest influence on the world.”
For the ultimate music appreciation experience, tune to The Positive Community’s all new 24/7, music streaming service, TPC Radio. Visit our website: thepositivecommunity.com, press the “Radio” tab. Listen and enjoy America’s best, In Classic Black.
