On Feb. 23, gospel singers held an event at Hughes Trigg as a part of Black History Month. The event, “Gospel Music in America: History in Song,” brought students to the Varsity to eat pizza, listen to gospel music, and learn about the history of it.

Voices of Inspiration, the SMU student-run gospel choir put on the event.

“It’s a walk through the history of gospel music throughout the ages,” Genesis Reed, Voices of Inspiration president, said. “I think gospel music really pairs with the civil rights movement and anything black-oriented or just movement-oriented in general. I think human rights easily pairs with Jesus Christ.”

But the purpose of the event wasn’t to promote Voices of Inspiration.

“We will perform one song, but this is more an educational event about the history of gospel music,” Michael Pittman said at the start of the event.

The group opened by singing “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” which was an acoustic arrangement with multiple solos. Then, they played a documentary on the 200-year history of gospel music called “Rejoice and Shout.”

SMU students Jasmine Outlaw and Nathaniel Johnson came to support their friends.

“One of my friends is singing a solo and she’s trying to convince me it’s short but I want to see her perform because she never likes to sing around us,” Jasmine said.

Voices of Inspiration became an officially chartered ministry at SMU in 1987. They don’t have an audition process and practices are open to the public. The group performs at Celebration of Lights, University Worship Services, the Family Weekend Talent Show, Association of Black Students’ campus events and more. Voices of Inspiration rehearsals are Sunday nights at 6 p.m. in the Meadows choir room.