Phoenix woman’s gospel song inspired Martin Luther King Jr.

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Alma Androzzo was a Phoenix woman whose gospel song served as inspiration for Martin Luther King’s famous “Drum Major Instinct” sermon, one of Dr.  King’s final sermons before his assassination. Bridget Buckley, an online graduate student in Arizona State University’s English program, followed up on the research started by ASU English professor Keith Miller to write an article about Androzzo. Androzzo’s song, “If I Can Help Somebody,” was also played at King’s funeral and heard by millions. It’s been performed by a number of artists over the years. We’ll hear more about the song and its Phoenix connections from Miller.

Keith Miller

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