HARLEM — A local gospel singer is calling out the Academy Awards, asking the ceremony's organizers to include one of Martin Luther King Jr.’s favorite songs during the star-studded award show this weekend.
Roslyn Davis, a classically trained singer and soloist at the Abyssinian Baptist Church, started an online petition Monday, hoping to get "Take My Hand, Precious Lord" into the award ceremony. Given that this year marks the 50th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act, it would be an appropriate tribute to the Civil Rights Movement, Davis added.
“The reality is that of the 40 nominations there’s not one single actor of color who was nominated nor were there any female directors or writers nominated,” said Davis. “I thought the song should be present because it’s part of our history, our song as African Americans.”
Singer and actress Ledisi Anibade Young performed the famous gospel song while playing the role of Mahalia Jackson during “Selma” which was nominated for best picture.
Jackson performed the song at King’s funeral, Davis added.
Davis is asking the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences — whose members are 93 percent white and 76 percent male according to the Los Angeles Times — to let Ledisi perform the song, according to the petition.
Twenty people have signed the petition.
Earlier this month, during the Grammy Awards, Beyonce performed “Take My Hand Precious Lord.” Some criticized the decision to have Beyonce sing instead of Ledisi, who also attended the music award show, according to the Washington Post.
Davis has been around gospel music her entire life. She attended a Methodist church as a child, went to Catholic school, and joined the Abyssinian Baptist Church as an adult.
Gospel music developed at a time when African Americans were not allowed to go to white churches. The songs came from the personal testaments of enslaved Americans, she said.
“If you know anything about gospel music is what we did to survive emotionally,” Davis said. “Our voice needs to be heard.”
The Academy of Motion Pictures did not respond to an email asking them if they would consider including the gospel song in the show.
