Preston, Madeline,

African-American composer, musician and arranger, Hall Johnson is best known as a choral director and for his arrangements of spirituals. In 1925 Johnson formed the Hall Johnson Negro Choir, which performed spirituals in the traditional style. The Hall Johnson Choir, which he organized in 1928, performed on Broadway in Marc Connolly's play "Green Pastures" (1930) for which Johnson was music director. Johnson was known for his compositions as well as the articles he authored that discussed the history of spirituals and their performance practice.