Shaw University Presents Outstanding Concert at City Auditorium for N.C. State Summer Students, July 23, 1922

Negro Students in Fine Program. . . Shaw University Host to State College at City Auditorium Concert

No night in the 40-odd nights they have spent in Raleigh brought the students of State College Summer school more genuine delight, nor for that matter, more enlightening instruction than did the two hours 600 of them spent at the City Auditorium last night giving ear to as many negro students of Shaw University Summer School sing their own songs.

Last night must stand alone among the varied array of entertainments that has been offered State students this summer. Just even to look at several hundred Negro teachers groups in the left dress circle was to be enlightened. Infrequently have those seats held a crowd dressed in better taste and never one that comported itself more admirably.

But above all things, they sang. Sophistication that may come with book learning will never take away the native leaning to harmonies that is born in the Negro. Last night, with an appreciative audience they outdid themselves. The program was made up almost entirely of their own music, from the most impressive thing that has been devised in America, the Negro national anthem, to old-fashioned plantation melodies.

Here and there on the program was a singer who departed from traditional standards and vowel values and sounded the “o” in Jordan river, but for the most part they sang like folks are used to hear them sing, and the holy river was called Jerden river. John Moseley has lost none of his cunning in leading a spiritual, nor does he apply modern vocatives. He sings.

But for all that, nobody need think that these simple songs are the height of the Negro’s vocal attainment. Along toward the end of the program the audience sat up with a start when it began to hear such a mezzo soprano as one seldom hears a voice almost perfect in quality, almost perfect in the technicalities of singing. Nell Hunter was signing a group of songs from Negro composers. Tremendously well she did it.

This voice, and the numbers of old fashioned songs that almost everybody has heard from the cradle, but rarely heard with the effect given by the massing of voices last night, will make the evening stick in the memories of all but the score or so who broke into the latter half of it by a none too quiet leave-taking. The program was given under the direction of Charles Frazier, musical director of the Shaw summer school.

From the Raleigh News & Observer, July 23, 1922