Essay, Father John Crossing the Gandy: A Micro-History with Music

Author

• Julie Buckner Armstrong

Files

Publication Date

4-17-2025

Abstract

“Father John Crossing the Gandy: A Micro-History with Music” synthesizes Father John Culmer’s 1927 passage across the Gandy Bridge with the lyrics of James Weldon Johnson’s “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing” to plot out Culmer’s role in the proliferation of church access and spirituality throughout and beyond the Black communities of South Florida. The work blends historical legacy with speculative interiority to produce an insightful and empathetic statement regarding, what has been, what can be, and how to build a bridge between the two.

Keywords

Gandy Bridge (Hillsborough County Fla.)

Extent

3 pages

Geographic Location

Hillsborough County (Fla.); Pinellas County (Fla.); Tampa (Fla.); St. Petersburg (Fla.)

Language

English

Digital Date

2025

Media Type

Essays

Format

Digital Only

Type

Article

Recommended Citation

Armstrong, Julie Buckner, "Essay, Father John Crossing the Gandy: A Micro-History with Music" (2025). Creekshed: Ekphrastic Writing with the Archives. 2.
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/creekshed_ekphrastic/2