Black History Month: Dr. Charles Albert Tindley

The man who wrote many hymns we sing today, came from the Eastern Shore.

Dr. Charles Albert Tindley was born to a free mother and an enslaved father in Berlin.

Despite not being formally educated, he taught himself several languages including Greek and Hebrew.

Tindley also headed a church in Philadelphia whose membership grew to about 3500 parishioners.

The pastor/songwriter wrote the hymn that became the inspiration and precursor to the quintessential hymn of the civil rights movement.

“We Shall Overcome”, started from Tindley’s “I Shall Overcome”.

Tindley died in Philadelphia in 1933.

He was 82.