The Charleston Gospel Choir 2020 spring performance entitled A Tribute to Sergeant Isaac Woodard, scheduled for Saturday, April 4, 2020 at 6 p.m. at Second Presbyterian Church, 342 Meeting Street, Charleston has been postponed until further notice.

“For several weeks I have been monitoring the COVID-19 virus pandemic and thinking about how we can take precautionary measures to mitigate our collective concerns and those of our patrons given so much alarm about being among individuals who may be asymptomatic.

Until there is a widespread testing method our patrons may feel uncomfortable gathering for extracurricular activities at this time. With the interest of choir member health and safety and that of our audience we are postponing our April 4 spring performance.

The Choir is eager to honor the extraordinary legacy of Sgt. Isaac Woodard but as a group we feel waiting until the virus situation regresses is both prudent and necessary,” says, Lee Pringle, Founder and Producer of the performance.

Sgt. Isaac Woodard was an African-American World War II veteran whose 1946 beating and maiming, hours after being discharged from the U.S. Army, sparked national outrage and galvanized the civil rights movement in the United States.

Still in uniform, South Carolina-born Woodard was left completely and permanently blind after a run-in with police in South Carolina (Fairfield County) while traveling to rejoin his family in North Carolina. The sheriff involved claimed he struck Woodard only once in self-defense, although Woodard claimed otherwise, and suffered a ruptured cornea and complete blindness in both eyes. South Carolina’s reluctance to bring the sheriff to trial prompted federal involvement. In July 1948, over the objection of senior military officers, Truman promulgated an Executive Order banning racial discrimination in the U.S. Armed Forces. This was done as a response to several incidents against black veterans, most notably the Woodard case.

Through song and narration, the Charleston Gospel Choir looks forward to paying homage to Sergeant Woodard’s legacy in performance of moving spirituals and gospel standards including, Lawd, How Come Me Heah, All Good Things Will Be Added Unto you, Heaven Help Us All and To Be Young Gifted and Black.

To keep updated visit www.charlestongospelchoir.org