Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., drew strength and inspiration from the powerful singing of the Black church. Spirituals, hymns, and gospel songs led by spirit-filled gospel singers, served as the driving force behind the Civil Rights Movement. In the words of the late congressman and civil rights activist John Lewis, “The Civil Rights Movement without music would have been like a bird without wings.” For the Athenaeum’s 2026 MLK Commemorative program, come experience a compelling presentation of gospel singing and its influence on the Civil Rights Movement with Dr. Diane White-Clayton and her dynamic choir, the BYTHAX Ensemble.