Hough in Cleveland in Cuyahoga County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Wings Over Jordan Choir
Photographed by Craig Doda, March 7, 2026
1. Wings Over Jordan Choir Marker
" on Sunday morning, especially in the African American community, you could go down the street and hear The Wings Over Jordan just coming from everybody's house...."
- Glenn Brackens, 2017
Upholding the sanctity of traditional African American spirituals, believing in the power of radio to uplift listeners, and recognizing his choir's rich talent, Rev. Glenn T. Settle (1894-1967), pastor of Gethsemane Baptist Church, originated the "Negro Hour" on Cleveland's WGAR in 1937. The Sunday morning radio show featured the choir's moving renditions of spirituals and was originally directed by James Tate (1918-1986). Williette Firmbanks Thompson (1910- 1992) was assistant director and a soloist.
To advance his vision, Rev. Settle collaborated with WGAR's Worth Kramer (1908-1998) to expand the show's reach. Renamed "Wings Over Jordan," it debuted on CBS's radio network in 1938 and was broadcast until 1947. Produced by African Americans, the show introduced a diverse audience to traditional spirituals and the Black experience, featuring guests such as Mary McLeod Bethune, Langston Hughes, and Adam Clayton Powell. The choir's founding generation toured nationally and internationally in the 1940s and performed only before integrated audiences. An historical marker designates Rev. Settle's birthplace
this page online
Erected 2020 by Wings Over Jordan Alumni & Friends, Inc.; The Ohio History Connection. (Marker Number 144-18.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Entertainment • Religion & Religious Structures. In addition, it is included in the Ohio Historical Society / The Ohio History Connection series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 2017.
Location. 41° 30.406′ N, 81° 38′ W. Marker is in Cleveland, Ohio, in Cuyahoga County. It is in Hough. It is at the intersection of East 79th Street and Home Court, on the right when traveling north on East 79th Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1895 E 79th St, Cleveland OH 44103, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is on Ohio’s Lake Erie Shore and in the Western Reserve. It is also in the American Midwest and on the Great Lakes. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, and the Northwest Territory.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within one mile of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Hough Uprising (approx. 0.2 miles away); The History of Hough (1799-1979) (approx. 0.2 miles away); Dunham Tavern (approx. half a mile away); Old Dunham Tavern Garden (approx. half a mile away); The Yellow House (approx. 0.6 miles away); League Park (approx. 0.6 miles away); Olivet Institutional Baptist Church (approx. one mile away); Karamu House (approx. one mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Cleveland.
Another marker
Photographed by Craig Doda, March 7, 2026
2. Wings Over Jordan Choir Marker
Photographed by Craig Doda, March 7, 2026
3. Wings Over Jordan Choir Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on March 22, 2026. It was originally submitted on March 22, 2026, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. This page has been viewed 9 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on March 22, 2026, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
