Opening Ceremony, *Preview of God's Trombones by James Weldon Johnson, Past Sankofa Reflections 

Tues., August 19 - Opening Ceremony, *Preview of God's Trombones by James Weldon Johnson, Past Sankofa Reflections 

Tickets are available on the Sankofa festival page https://www.muccc.org/events/2025-annual-sankofa-theatre-fest

God's Trombones (1927) is a celebrated collection of seven poetic sermons inspired by the African American oral tradition of folk preaching. James Weldon Johnson, a key figure of the Harlem Renaissance, sought to capture the rhythmic, musical power of Black religious oratory without leaning on dialect, instead using vivid imagery, biblical grandeur, and the cadence of the "old-time Negro preacher." 

"The Prayer" is a profoundly moving invocation that opens the collection, setting the tone for the sermons that follow. Unlike the other poems, which are narrative-driven, this piece is a direct, heartfelt plea to God, embodying the humility, reverence, and raw emotional power of Black worship. "The Prayer" is a masterful blend of poetry and piety, proving that the deepest truths are often spoken in whispers before they thunder…