Morehouse and Spelman Glee Clubs Deliver Three-Night Christmas Masterpiece

By Milton Kirby | Atlanta, GA | December 8, 2025

The holiday season opened in grand fashion this weekend as the Morehouse College Glee Club and the Spelman College Glee Club delivered three unforgettable nights of music, unity, and tradition. The concerts were held Friday through Sunday, December 5–7, and drew capacity crowds to two of Atlanta’s most cherished campus chapels.

Friday and Sunday performances were held at the Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel at Morehouse College. Saturday’s concert took place at Sisters Chapel on the campus of Spelman College. Each night offered a stirring reminder of why this joint Christmas Carol Concert remains one of the most treasured holiday traditions in Atlanta.

TSJ attended the Friday night performance, where the Glee Clubs played to a full house inside the MLK International Chapel.

A Tradition of Excellence

The Morehouse College Glee Club directed by Dr. David Morrow with organist Dr. Joyce F. Johnson, and the Spelman College Glee Club, directed by Dr. Kevin Johnson, performed a rich blend of sacred, classical, traditional, and contemporary holiday selections.

Audiences were treated to familiar favorites, including:
Silent Night, Sir Christëmas, The Savior’s Birth, The First Noel, Joy to the World, This Christmas, O Come, All Ye Faithful, and Go Tell It on the Mountain.

The choirs also performed lesser-known works that were just as stirring and melodic, showcasing the depth of their repertoire and their ability to breathe new life into both classic and contemporary choral literature.

Spelman’s Legacy of Global Sisterhood

For over 100 years, the Spelman College Glee Club has upheld a standard of musical excellence shaped by harmony, discipline, and pride. With approximately 50 members from various academic disciplines, the ensemble performs most major campus events and maintains a repertoire that spans world cultures, commissioned works, and music of the African diaspora.

Under the leadership of Dr. Kevin Johnson, the Glee Club has performed across the U.S. and around the world. Highlights include concerts at the White House, Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher Hall, Faneuil Hall in Boston, the National Museum of American History, and international tours to Brazil, Canada, Italy, and Portugal.

Membership requires a rigorous audition process evaluating tonal memory, pitch matching, vocal quality, and musicianship. Yet beyond the music, the Spelman Glee Club represents community. It is a space where sisterhood, pride, and excellence converge.

Morehouse’s Global Brotherhood in Song

The Morehouse College Glee Club has captivated audiences for more than a century. Their performances have graced presidential inaugurations, Super Bowls, the 1996 Olympics, and homegoing services for national figures including President Jimmy Carter and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a Morehouse alumnus.

Dr. Morrow says the Glee Club is more than a performance ensemble. It is a reflection of Morehouse identity and brotherhood.

“It’s remembering that you are part of a community,” Morrow said. “You are more than a member of the Glee Club. You are family. You are part of something great.”

Their musical résumé spans continents, with tours throughout Africa, the Caribbean, Europe, and every corner of the United States. The Glee Club has performed with cultural icons such as Aretha Franklin, Jessye Norman, Denyce Graves, Take 6, Stevie Wonder, and Jennifer Hudson. They are also featured on soundtracks to Spike Lee films and major national broadcasts.

The Glee Club is deeply tied to historical and cultural leadership. Alumni include Senator Raphael Warnock, Spike Lee, Samuel L. Jackson, and legendary figures such as Mayor Maynard Jackson and Herman Cain.

A Shared Holiday Tradition

Morehouse and Spelman have long united their voices for this Christmas tradition. Together, they carry an intergenerational message: music is a cultural bridge. Music preserves history. And music, especially during the holiday season, binds community.

Judge Sugarmon, speaking to the educational significance of the Glee Clubs, underscored the moment:
“At a time when DEI is being denied, we must educate our children about our history. It is what made this country what it is.”

And as the music filled the chapels each night, that message rang clear—this tradition belongs to the people, to the campuses, and to the broader community that has embraced it for nearly a century.

A Look Toward the 100th Year

This year marked the 99th Annual Christmas Carol Concert, one of the longest-running holiday traditions in Atlanta. Both colleges promised that the upcoming centennial celebration will be even more spectacular, with expanded performances and special guests.

The joy, reverence, and unity felt this weekend offered a glimpse of what that milestone will hold.

When Morehouse sings and Spelman answers, a century of HBCU excellence fills the room — and the world listens.

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