Call And Response In African American Communication (with particular focus on African American preachers whooping)

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post presents information about call and response in African American communication with particular focus on African American preachers whooping. 

The content of this post is presented for cultural and educational purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.
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Most of this pancocojams post was originally published on this blog on October 11, 2011 with the title "Verbal Engagement During Black Communication". Another portion of this post was published on this blog in this April 2016 post http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2016/04/black-preaching-art-of-whooping-in.html Black Preaching - The Art Of "Whooping" In Sermon Closings.

Also click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2016/04/black-preachers-oratorical-style-wilson.html for the closer related pancocojams post entitled "Black Preacher's Oratorical Style & Wilson Pickett's 1971 Soul To Soul Concert Introduction to "Land Of A Thousand Dances"

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VERBAL ENGAGEMENT
Call & response patterns not only shape and influence African American music. They also shape African American communication. "Verbal engagement" is my term for a call & response pattern of communication that influences African American communication expectations and permeates that communication. "Verbal engagement" is indicated by the words and sounds that a listerner intersperses during a conversation. Those words & sounds confirm that he or she is listening and involved in that conversation. Examples of verbal engagement are words or sentences such as "Yeah", "Yeah?" ,"You got that right", "I know what you mean", and "Get out of here!" "Verbal engagement" is also expressed by tonal sounds such as "Un hun" and "Hun?", Un un-n". If a listerner fails to engage during an African American conversation, if he or she remains silent too often or too long and doesn't add verbal engagement terms to that conversation, it's probable that that person speaking will consider that listerner to be rude or to have disengaged from the conversation.

I believe that these African American rules of verbal engagement are also found throughout African & other African Diaspora cultures. However, it's my sense that those White American and White European cultures may not have the same call & response verbal engagement rules. Instead of interspersing conversations with words, sentences, or tonal language, I gather that White people "wait their turn", waiting to speak after the other person has finished speaking. Also, it seems to me (admittedly from the outside looking in), that White people see no social imperative to signal that they have heard a conversation that they may or may not agree with. Perhaps they might be silent because they are thinking about what was said to determine if they agree or disagree with the whole or parts of that conversation. No rudeness, disinterest, or disengagement might have been intended, but given the different ways that Black people have been socialized to view communication, we may indeed misinterpret that silence as rudeness, disinterest, or disengagement.

The possibility for misinterpretation may also occur during written communication between Black people and non-Black people in online social networks such as Facebook. Discussion threads about racism or cultural diversity in which the Black person is "the only one" (meaning the only Black person) or one of few Black people participating in that discussion are particularly ripe for verbal engagement misinterpretations. When I willingly engage in such online discussions often as a result of being asked to do so), I have to remind myself that the lack of confirming, reinforcing, questioning, disputing, or just plain thanking responses doesn't necessarily mean that the White people reading my comment disagree with what I have said. I also have to remind myself not to interpret their lack of response as being rude, disinterested, or disengaged. Instead, I try to remember that they were socialized differently than me, and don't see the need to immediately respond to verbal or written communication if they don't feel that they have anything of value to add to the discussion.

Rules of communication are usually unwritten. People learn those rules as a result of interacting in that particular society. Problems occur when we are raised to believe that our way of communicating, responding during communication, and responding to communication are the only way, or are the only right way. One of the reasons why I've written this post is to help me remember this.

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CALL & RESPONSE IN AFRICAN AMERICAN CHURCHES: WHOOPING
This portion is an updated version of content that is included in this 2016 pancocojams post: http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2016/04/black-preaching-art-of-whooping-in.html Black Preaching - The Art Of "Whooping" In Sermon Closings

"Whooping" (also given as "hooping") is a term for a Black (African American) oratorical and homiletic (sermon) style that some pastors use at the end of their sermons to heighten the spirit and emotions of their congregations. Whooping is described as pastors speaking in a call & response, sing/song cadence. Members of the congregation respond to the pastor's words ("call"), sometimes by repeating his or her words, and/or shouting "Amen!", "Preach!", "Yes, Lord" or other words and phrases. Responses also include riffs played by the pianist, organist, and snare drummer. In addition to preaching in that sing/song style, pastors who whoop toward the end of their sermons may also sing during that whoop.

"Whooping" is a way of preaching that is most often associated with African American pastors, particularly COGIC (Church Of God In Christ) pastors and some Baptist and Missionary Baptist pastors.

The art and study of whooping is [facetiously?] referred to "whoopology" and "hoopology". Preachers who "whoop" ("hoop") are called "whoopers" ("hoopers").

Whooping is negatively described as "screaming".

The word "whooping" ("hooping") may have come from the term "whooping and hollering".

Here are definitions for the word "whoop":
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whoop
Definition of whoop
"to shout loudly in an enthusiastic or excited way"

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http://www.dictionary.com/browse/hollering
"hollering
"verb (used without object)
1. to cry aloud; shout; yell"

From http://www.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/10/20/whooping/ Black preachers who 'whoop' -- minstrels or ministers? By John Blake, CNN, October 20, 2010

[...]

Whooping pastors use chanting, melody and call-and-response preaching to reach parishioners in a place where abstract preaching cannot penetrate, scholars say.

Whooping preachers aim "to wreck" a congregation by making people feel the sermon, not just hear it, says the Rev. Henry Mitchell, a scholar who identified the link between whooping and African oral traditions.

"The old folks used to say, 'If you ain't felt nothing, you ain't got nothing,''' Mitchell says.

[...]

the Rev. Martha Simmons, a whooping preacher and scholar [says]. "It is a genuine art form."

Simmons says the best whoopers use their voices like instruments. They're following rules of rhythm, tone and melody. All good whoopers have some "music" in their throat, says Simmons, editor of "Preaching with Sacred Fire," an anthology of black sermons dating back to 1750.

[...]

Whooping isn't confined to vocal gymnastics. The greatest whoopers combined "learning and burning." They are theologically sound, well-read and excellent storytellers, scholars say.

[The Rev. E. Dewey Smith Jr], senior pastor of Greater Travelers Rest Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia, says a good whooper has to preach a solid message before they whoop.

...Whoopers not only sound different; they preach different, says Mitchell, the preaching scholar and author of "Black Preaching: The Recovery of a Powerful Art."

Most whoopers shun abstractions. They preach with stories, parables and metaphors -- like Jesus did"....
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Note the statement that pastors use "call" to evoke "responses" from their congregations.

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SHOWCASE VIDEOS
The following five videos are re-posted as examples of call & response communication styles in certain African American churches.

Selected comments from these videos' discussion thread are also included in this post. Some of these comments may not refer to African American verbal communication.

Note that the congregation of these churches are expected to respond during the sermon to the minister's words. Also note that standing up is one socially approved way of responding to what is being said or sung by the minister or what is being sung by the choir and/or the congregation.

These same affirming, engaging responses made by many African Americans during most non-religious concerts/performances, i.e. It's customary for many African Americans to stand up & move our body during non-religious performances.

Example #1: Sermons by Rev C L Franklin



Uploaded by Bohles128 on Apr 10, 2009
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From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C._L._Franklin
"Clarence LaVaughn Franklin (often abbreviated to C. L. Franklin) (January 22, 1915 – July 27, 1984), was an American Baptist minister, a civil rights activist, and father of the legendary soul and gospel singer Aretha Franklin."
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Selected comments from this video's discussion thread (with numbers added for referencing purposes only). These comments may not refer to African American verbal communication:
1. Ziv Viz, 2012
"Now we see where Aretha got her voice. Whowww!"

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2. Jock Ewing. 2015
"His voice encompasses so much power. Preachers will mimic Clarence until the end of time."

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3. Garwin Wayne, 2018
"From 1:21 to 1:39 this is where James Brown, Wilson Pickett, Sam Cooke, Ray Charles, David Ruffin & Dennis Edwards of the Temptations, Bobby Bland & all them legendary, pioneer R&B singers got their influence from...the Gospel church..the Gospel preacher."

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Example #2: Pastor Jerry D. Black Preaching 'Wolf Country' Mean Hearted People



Uploaded by BrothaRollins on Jan 20, 2007

Powerful sermon about living in the midst of wolves and mean people.

In his summary statement the uploader provided information about Pastor Jerry D. Black including the following:
"...at the age of 21, Reverend Black accepted his calling to preach the Gospel. He was called and served as pastor of the Greater Paradise Baptist Church in Little Rock, Arkansas. During his 15 years of service to Greater Paradise, the church membership grew from 17 members to over 3000. During that time, Pastor Black also had a very popular television and radio ministry in Little Rock..."
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According to a comment in that discussion thread, this video was recorded in 2005.

Selected comments from this video's discussion thread (with numbers added for referencing purposes only).
1. Jimmie Staten, 2008
"Doc, he can Whoop!!!!!!!"

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2. Frank Clardy, 2008
"more of pastor black has been posted. now you can hear him whoop."
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Read the section on whooping that is given above.

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Example #3: Old Time Preaching, Shouting and Singing



Uploaded by RevSinkiller on Mar 6, 2010

Taken from the [1964] movie "Nothing But A Man." This is a beautiful snapshot of church back in the 1960's, the likes we don't hear as much these days.

Selected comments from this video's discussion thread (with numbers added for referencing purposes only).
1. Thurman Edwards, 2011
"I Love it it ,i belong to the old Regular baptist and it just like we do shut, sing ,preach,and praying i love it and feel it thanks. Thurman Edwards"

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2. Obadiah Buls, 2011
"This was church like what I grew up with, only a little toned down, because there would be brothas and sistas falling out everywhere and it wasn't always the same folk every Sunday. Even the nurses that would help folk would touch somebody that was already happy and catch the holy ghost themselves. "

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3. Wyeth Duncan, 2011
"Wow, this reminds me of how the Baptist churches used to be when I was a little boy."

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4. MimiDove9, 2011
"AMEN!!!!"

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5. Richard Moss,lll, 2012
"THEN TOOK ME IN!!!!!!! MY LORD LORD!!!"
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"Then" may be a typo for "That". In this context "took in" means to reach a state of spiritual ecstasy ("get happy", "shout", "went in") as a result of being touched by the Holy Spirit". Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2018/09/what-took-me-to-church-sang-went-in-and_1.html for more comments about "went in" and more definitions from African American churches terms and phrases.

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Example #4: Pastor Timothy J. Woods, Sr. - Sermon Close.wmv



bigalte83, Published on Nov 18, 2008

Pastor Woods @ Antioch MBC - Beaumont, TX
www.hopewellnorth.org
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Read my transcription of this sermon in http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2016/04/black-preaching-art-of-whooping-in.html
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Selected comments from this video's discussion thread (with numbers added for referencing purposes only).
[A few of these comments are written in response to comments criticizing this style of preaching]

1. passSAT16, 2011
"@CelestineBoi I completely agree with you sir. AS a preacher myself, I agree that whooping is enjoyable, but if there is no substance, how can the people eat. Lets stay focused on the word. The word in itself should be enough for us to shout, not the organ, not a whooping preacher. But because JESUS CHRIST LIVES HALLELUJAH!. praise God for this preacher and all of our clergy."

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2. Tommy Barnes, 2009
"i live in b-ham and all i have to say is LAWD HAMERCY!"

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3. William B. Wiggins, II, 2009
"It's a combination of the - "The Art of Preaching - Homiletics with a twist of Celebration" or in a more modern term "whoopology. After the preacher hs imparted the word into your life, he himself celebrates in his own way and his own style of closing the sermon on a "Spiritual Praise."."

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4. Preacha Tim, 2009
"now that's how you close out!!!
preach man!!!"

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5. mrdlfrancis, 2011
"Don't hold back! Preach Doctor Preach!!"

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6. Jamarri Kelly, 2013
"this is classic baptist preaching idk what u talking bout"

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7. Harvey Carroll, 2013
"This is the closing of a sermon not the sermon. If u do not like it don't watch and complain about there type of expression. Please understand that God gives gifts not man . If u want to contact the church and get the whole sermon"

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8. Rita Dozier, 2014
"Preach amen"

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9. Brodie Rice, 2017
"Get your whoop on"

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Example #5: Rev. Dr. Zal V. Walton "Whooping



First Zion Hill Missionary Baptist Church, Published on Dec 7, 2017

Rev. Zal V. Walton, Pastor Greater Promise Baptist Church Linden, NJ At First Zion Hill Missionary Baptist Church Newark, NJ
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This video has no comments in its discussion thread as of the date of this post's publication.

Notice how the drums and cymbals also respond to the preacher's "whoop".

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Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to all those who are featured in these videos and thanks to these videos on YouTube.

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