The UA Afro-American Gospel Choir will be hosting their annual benefit concert this Saturday, at 5 p.m. at the University Church of Christ.

The UA Afro-American Gospel Choir is a student-led singing ensemble that was founded by 12 students in 1971.

“Twelve students entered a talent competition sponsored by the then Afro-American Association,” choir president Sydney Page said. “The students chose to sing a gospel song representative of their faith. After winning the competition, the following fall some 30 to 40 students joined the original 12 to form what is now known as the Afro-American Gospel Choir.”

Today the choir is composed of more than 50 students, who perform traditional hymns and contemporary gospel songs on campus and around the country. The group has also expanded to include a praise dance team called His Instruments of Praise, which will also be performing in the concert.

“The choir is an inclusive organization,” Jessica Smith, first vice president and benefit concert coordinator, said. “We travel across the southeast representing the University through song and dance.”

Proceeds from the concert will be used to help the choir travel and compete in the National Baptist Student Union Retreat praise dance and choral competition in Orlando, Fla., from March 21-24.

“Every year we have this concert to benefit a special cause,” Smith said. “This year we are collecting the funds needed to get to the retreat.”

The title for this year’s benefit concert is “Road to 8” because the choir has won seven times at the National Baptist Student Union Retreat, and this year they will be competing for their eighth, and fourth consecutive, title.

“It is the same as the football team’s ‘Road to 15’ campaign,” Elaine Calloway, a sophomore nursing student and two-year choir member, said.

Local groups Thomas Davis, Jr. and The Family of Faith; the Unspoken Mime Ministry and the Stillman College Christian Student Association will also be performing in the concert.

“Each of these phenomenal groups heard about what the Afro-American Gospel Choir was trying to accomplish,” Smith said. “They told me that they would help any way they could, and I thought the best thing for them to do was join the choir in the benefit concert.”

Page is confident the concert will be a huge success.

“We hope that UA students, faculty, staff, administration and the Tuscaloosa community at large will support us,” Page said. “As a student-led organization, we have to raise money to travel to events, and we need everyone’s support.”

Tickets are $5 for faculty, staff and the general public, and $3 for students. Doors open at 4 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at the door, but they can also be purchased online on the Student Affairs website.

For more information on the “Road to 8” Benefit Concert and the Afro-American Gospel Choir, email the group at [email protected].