Commentary: Truth through song as Jerry Smith and The Children of Israel revisit Madison – Black History takes center stage at historic Chapel of the Cross Church

By Christopher Young,
Contributing Writer,

It was a concert, just one in a series titled ‘Concerts in the Country,’ but it was so much more. When Jerry C. Smith and The Children of Israel perform, time stands still as their voices transport the listener from their day-to-day to another place entirely. Each of the members is a soloist in their own right and alternately moved out front. Many are also members of another world-renowned choir – the Mississippi Mass Choir. With Dr. Mark G. Henderson providing narration, and the divinely soulful Katie Graham joining the program with Elijah Rock, you can understand this was no ordinary concert.

The concert series was organized by Dr. Edward Dacus, Director of Music at Chapel of The Cross Episcopal Church, 674 Mannsdale Road in Madison, a historic and beautiful church on a sprawling campus. Easily two hundred fifty parishioners, friends, families, and supporters filled the sanctuary Sunday, February 15, 2026, from 5-7PM. Stating the obvious, a mostly white audience, was enamored by the gifts of this African American choir. This was not the first visit by Jerry Smith and The Children of Israel, they had performed for the first time at Chapel of the Cross just two years earlier. An elegant reception followed in an adjacent building.

Henderson wrote and provided the narration to compliment the program from start to finish. An artist and educator dedicated to leading young people to embrace their God given abilities, Henderson serves as Chair of the Department of Speech Communication and Theatre at Thee Jackson State University. He is the Founder and Artistic Director of MADDRAMA (Making A Difference Doing Respectable and Meaningful Art), a troupe of Jackson State University performers who tour nationally with an extensive repertoire of original plays and specialized performances that are highly requested. True to form, he was a master educator on this occasion – no erasure, no diminishing of truth, just pure reflection and connection with the audience.

Selections began with spirituals like Swing Low Sweet Chariot, Moses Hogan’s Old Time Religion, and Jerry Smith’s original composition, Amen! Henderson’s narration provided context and deeper understanding between each song. Citing the genius of Richard Smallwood, the selection of I Shall Wear a Crown/Anthem of Praise came after Henderson shared, there’s a Gospel song that, if we use, our spiritual imagination, we can hear the words of Smallwood, saying’ “I’m gonna put on my robe and tell the story of how I made it over.”

The evening’s journey continued to more modern gospel, with Henderson teaching about how the sounds of the 1940’s, gospel quartets, jubilee quartets, the music of Thomas Dorsey and Lucie Campbell led to The Dixie Hummingbirds, Golden Gate Quartet and The Soul Stirrers, among others, and helped to introduce and popularize this new musical style eventually leading to Detroit and The Winans. Layer upon layer of connection was provided, all originating on this geographical soil in the cotton fields. The four male members of The Children of Israel then came together as a quartet for Everything You Touch.

With Henderson’s narration leading the audience to the 20th century, he spoke about the force that was Mahalia Jackson before sharing, “Now witness the power of our modern-day Mahalia, in the soul-stirring, thunderous, and anointed voice of Ms. Katie Graham.” The treasure came forward with Elijah Rock – one of Jackson’s most prized songs. Her performance was mesmerizing and made even more so when she paused to insert her own testimony of the Lord’s presence in her life when she encountered a faulty starter on her car recently, and how He sent his angels to help her overcome under the unique circumstances and reminded the audience “Jesus is your Starter.”

The Children of Israel members coming forward for solos on this particular night were Alisa Patrick McDonald, Rhonda Chambers Davis, LaToya Knight Hubbard, and Harvey Williams, Jr. Stephen Johnson, James Fuller, Dennis McDonald, Sandra Thomas, Pricilla Edwards, and Jane Graham Crowner. The finale was highlighted by choir members raising small hand-held American flags during a stirring rendition of America the Beautiful. Somehow in this space, and against the backdrop of chaos in our country, some of the lyrics landed with unwavering reinforcement and call to action – “America! America! God shed His grace on thee. And crown thy good with brotherhood from sea to shining sea!”

Henderson and the maestro Jerry Smith have known each other for fifty years, yet it was not lost on this special evening, when Henderson drew attention to the death of the great Moses Hogan (February 11, 2003) and the birth of Jerry Smith (February 12, 1959), stating, “God knew that this nation, this world would need another musical giant to move this generation and generations yet unborn. So, in His infinite wisdom…He stepped back in time to February 12, 1959, and blessed the world with this generation’s Moses Hogan, Mr. Jerry Smith.”

In addition to Jerry Smith on piano, father and son duo Barry and Braxton Bolden, held down organ and percussion, respectively.