Lord Let Me Be an Instrument
This chapter examines the artistic legacy of Reverend James Cleveland, an internationally renowned musician whose sonic innovations and institution building efforts contributed to gospel music's dramatic growth in the post–civil rights era. Significant attention is given to his role as founding president of the Gospel Music Workshop of America. Created in 1967, the GMWA provided an institutional space for gospel musicians seeking to advance both their careers and black sacred music. By exploring Cleveland’s work for the GMWA, particularly his proposed gospel college in Soul City, North Carolina, along with his groundbreaking records on Savoy, this chapter underscores how black Christians' struggle for self-determination extended into the music world.