Please note: this event has been postponed. All registrants will be contacted with a new date once it has been scheduled.

Wednesday, September 25, 2024 – 2:00 PM | Blockson Collection 

We Recall, We Remember: The Life & Legacy of Rev. Joe 

A Conversation with Rev. Joseph Williams, Jr. and Richard J. Watson 

September is Gospel Music Heritage Month, and the Blockson Collection will mark this celebration by remembering the legendary Dixie Hummingbirds and honoring the legacy of Rev. Joe. 

About Rev. Joseph Williams, Jr. 

Rev. Joe, as he is affectionately known, is an original member of the gospel singing quartet, the Sons of the Birds. The Sons of the Birds, who recorded an album and several singles for Peacock's Song Bird subsidiary in the 1960s, got their name because at one time, some of the singers were sons of members of the legendary Dixie Hummingbirds, who Rev. Joe also sang with. He is one of the founding members, along with Kenny Gamble and Dyana Williams, of the Black Music Association, which was founded over 30 years ago. 

Rev. Joe started singing at age five with the Children's Church of the Air, performing at Presbyterian churches in Philadelphia and on radio and television programs. After a brief stint as a teen singing with popular groups, he joined the Gospel Stirrers. However, after he saw the Dixie Hummingbirds perform for the first time, he knew that was the caliber, professionalism, and showmanship he wanted to achieve. Before being called into ministry, Rev. Joe recorded with the Dixie Hummingbirds on their last album. His collection is housed in the African American Museum in Philadelphia, the Smithsonian's National Museum of African American History and Culture and the National Museum of African American Music in Nashville, TN.