New San Francisco Public Library Artist-In-Residence Project Captures and Preserves the Sound of One of San Francisco’s Enduring Black Churches

SAN FRANCISCO, November 14, 2024 — The San Francisco Arts Commission (SFAC) and the San Francisco Public Library (SFPL) are thrilled to announce a new sound project by 2023 artist-in-residence, Tossie Long, titled Sacred Sounds of San Francisco.

At the center of this project is the Bethel Missionary Baptist Church, one of the city’s few remaining Black churches in the Ingleside neighborhood of San Francisco. The project focuses on documenting the sounds of this church, capturing both its decline and the fading musical traditions central to their identity, culminating in a collection of reimagined gospel songs and soundscapes inspired by the people, objects, architecture, and histories uncovered through Long’s research.

“The San Francisco Arts Commission’s Artist-in-Residence Program offers artists a unique opportunity to collaborate with City departments and deeply engage with issues that are personally and culturally significant. We are honored to support generational San Franciscan artist Tossie Long in her vital research into the sacred sounds of San Francisco’s Black community,” said Ralph Remington, Director of Cultural Affairs. “As the city’s Black population continues to diminish, Tossie’s work is crucial in documenting and preserving the art, history, and voices of the Bethel Missionary Baptist Church—ensuring that this invaluable heritage is not lost to time.”

In 2023, Long was one of four artists-in-residence selected to participate in the San Francisco Arts Commission's Artist-in-Residence program at the San Francisco Public Library. Launched in 2015, the program aims to foster partnerships with City departments, enabling artists to contribute to civic dialogue.

During her ten-week residency at SFPL, Long spent much of her time conducting research in the San Francisco History Center, the African American Center, and the Arcane Knowledge collection and it was here where she found the inspiration for this project.

“The term “arcane,” from the Latin “arcanus,” meaning "secret" or "hidden," reflects the project’s inspiration and commitment to uncovering the obscured histories and mysteries tied to these sacred spaces,” said Tossie Long in a statement. “By engaging with church members—particularly the elders who gather every Sunday to commune—and archiving their stories, this project aims to provide a deeper understanding of the historical and evolving nature of these musical traditions, migration, wishes, dreams, and secret stories while also preserving the unique sounds and cultural significance of the community.”

“Tossie Long’s project captures the sounds and stories that live within the walls of the City’s Black churches, reminding us of their role in cultivating and sharing community and history.” said City Librarian Michael Lambert. 

Sacred Sounds of San Francisco focuses on developing new interpretations of gospel songs originally brought by the church members from the South, blending historical and contemporary influences and integrating elements of Afrofuturism. This approach envisions the gospel music tradition not as a static relic of the past, but as a living, evolving expression that bridges ancestral roots with future possibilities.  

Sacred Sounds of San Francisco culminates in two significant programs—a performance and live recording session with the choir members of the Bethel Missionary Baptist Church and an in-person listening session of the recordings and soundscapes Long and her collaborators created in response to the church, it’s history and musical traditions. 

SACRED SOUNDS OF SAN FRANCISCO PROGRAM DETAILS 
Bethel Missionary Choir Performance and Recording Session 
Thursday, December 12, 2024 | 6:00-7:30 p.m. (Doors at 5:30p.m.) 
San Francisco Public Library, Koret Auditorium, 100 Larkin St. San Francisco, CA 94102 
Free and open to the public 

Join sound artist Tossie Long and the Bethel Missionary Baptist Church choir for a special performance and recording session at the SFPL. More info here 

Sunday Service Listening Session 
Sunday, December 15, 2024 | 3:00-5:00 p.m. 
Bethel Missionary Baptist Church, 232 Randolph St, San Francisco, CA 94132 
Free and open to the public 

Artist Tossie Long and collaborators invite you to Sunday church service at the Bethel Missionary Baptist Church, one of the few remaining Black churches in San Francisco. Instead of a sermon, visitors are treated to an immersive sound experience inspired by the church’s history, people, and musical traditions. More info here 

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About the Artist
Generational San Franciscan Tossie Long (she/her) is a multi-hyphenate, multi-lingual, Grammy nominated international performing artist, producer, director, and facilitator who speaks to the intersections of sound, culture, and sociopolitical edges spanning from Rock and Roll vocals to Afrofuturist immersive productions. Nicknamed "Bone Rattler,'' Long is a practitioner of ceremonial music from around the world with a focus on diasporic cosmology. As an ethnomusicologist, she has voyaged to Ayiti, Cuba, Benin, Nigeria, Brazil, and New Orleans to trace the migration of Vodou for a holistic investigation of the music in its cultural contexts. Long is currently working on Red Clay Sound Haus (RCSH), an immersive sound-centric project.  She does not perform for the sake of performing, but rather to challenge and to experiment with how far she can push her perceived limits. 

About the San Francisco Arts Commission
The San Francisco Arts Commission is the City agency that champions the arts as essential to daily life by investing in a vibrant arts community, enlivening the urban environment and shaping innovative cultural policy. Our programs include: Civic Art Collection, Civic Design Review, Community Investments, Public Art, SFAC Galleries, and Art Vendor Licensing. To learn more, visit sfartscommission.org.

About the San Francisco Public Library  
San Francisco Public Library connects our diverse communities to learning, opportunities and each other. The library system is made up of 27 neighborhood branches, the San Francisco Main Library at Civic Center and four bookmobiles. To learn more, visit sfpl.org.