December 23, 1938

Singer “Sister Rosetta” Tharpe was included in John Hammond’s black music extravaganza From Spirituals to Swing, held at Carnegie Hall in New York City. After this well-publicized event, Tharpe went on a concert tour throughout the Northeast. Tharpe was one of gospel music’s first superstars, the first gospel performer to record for a major record label (Decca), and an early crossover from gospel to secular music.