Framed Dorsey Gospel Festival Poster

1986; City of Chicago under Mayor Harold Washington

Vintage framed gospel festival announcement poster.

This piece served to notify the public of the Dorsey Gospel Festival (now known as the Chicago Gospel Music Festival) held in 1986. The Dorsey Gospel Choir is named for Thomas Dorsey (1899-1993), a prominent Black figure in Chicago and the gospel music community at large. In addition to gospel music, he is also known for his contributions to early blues as well. He spent his early years traveling with such famous performers as Ma Rainey and Tampa Red. However in 1928, after a religious reawakening and bouts of depression, he began producing strictly gospel music for the rest of his career. What followed was an intense 65-year spiritual journey to bring uptempo gospel music to the masses, with cameos from the likes of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Mahalia Jackson, and James Cleveland.