About the Atlanta Music Festival

About The Atlanta Music Festival

The Atlanta music festival is a contemporary event that draws on a century-old musical and cultural heritage. Henry Hugh Proctor, the pastor of Atlanta’s first congregational church, launched programs to improve black communities.

In 1910 white atliens produced a highly publicized opera week. Reverend proctor formed the Atlanta colored music festival association. Thanks to the association’s cordial invitation, the 2000 attendees included a large contingent from the white community.

The festival featured the most prominent concert artists of the day. Years later, Reverand proctor said: “this music festival joined the best musical talent of the race to the city. In fact, we found that music solved great racial antipathies, just as David found it a solution for antagonism with saul.” the concert was presented annually through 1917.