"The hymn of Temperance, of Human Rights and Freedom,
of Peace, and of Benevolence will be found both numerous, energetic, and
eminently Christian..."
- Henry Ward Beecher, The Plymouth Collection Of Hymns And
Tunes For The Use Of Christian Congregations, Brooklyn, N.Y., August 10, 1855
Plymouth Church – "the Grand Central Depot" on the
Underground Railroad – makes for an incredible setting for Let Freedom Ring! A
Concert To Benefit Free the Slaves, January 11 featuring the Impressions, Naomi
Shelton & The Gospel Queens, and members of The Dap-Kings. In this space in February
1963, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. preached a sermon on "The American
Dream," echoed just months later in his famous "I Have a Dream"
speech in Washington, D.C.
Oral tradition and several published memoirs tell us that
slaves seeking passage to Canada may have hidden in the tunnel-like basement
beneath the church sanctuary – still a part of the structure today.
From the earliest days of its founding in 1847 by
anti-slavery Congregationalists, with Henry Ward Beecher as its first called
minister, Plymouth served as a center of abolitionist activist and the most
prominent ministry in the second half of 19th century America. Beecher was a
master at creating public events to strengthen the fight against slavery. He
staged mock "auctions" at Plymouth, urging the congregation to
purchase the freedom of actual slaves. During one service, he trampled the
chains that had bound John Brown. He invited famous anti-slavery advocates to
speak at the Church, including William Lloyd Garrison, Sojourner Truth, Wendell
Phillips, Charles Sumner, and Frederick Douglass.
Beecher understood the connection between music, faith, and
Civil Rights – a connection that continues with Let Freedom Ring! With his brother,
Charles Beecher, and Plymouth's organist, John Zundel, he compiled The Plymouth
Collection Of Hymns And Tunes For The Use Of Christian Congregations, the
world's first modern hymnal in which words and music were printed on the same
page.
On the campaign trail in 1860, Abraham Lincoln attended
services on two occasions, the
first of which was the day before his famous Cooper-Union Address, a speech
which is not only credited with launching his presidential campaign, but also
for laying the groundwork for his public stance against slavery. His pew is presently marked with a plaque.
The National Register of Historic Places designated the
church a National Historic Landmark in 1961.
As part of a weekend that will focus on the problem of
historical and modern-day slavery, Plymouth, in partnership with Brooklyn
Historical Society, will also be offering a panel discussion featuring
anti-trafficking experts on January 10 at Brooklyn Historical Society, where
the exhibit "Brooklyn Abolitionists: In Pursuit of Freedom" will open
in early January.
For more information on Plymouth Church, please go here.
