The Defense Department hosted a special Pentagon performance yesterday by the Spelman College Glee Club, from Atlanta.
According to a DoD release, the event, hosted by the Washington Headquarters Services and DoD’s Office of Diversity Management and Equal Opportunity, honored the commitment and sacrifice of military women with a signature musical tribute themed, “A Choice to Change the World.”
Michael L. Rhodes, WHS’s director of administration and management, presided over the ceremony. In his opening remarks, Rhodes traced the history of women in the military from the Spanish American War to the present.
“Women serve in many capacities that were not open to them 50 years ago, and will continue to blaze trails and succeed, making history,” Rhodes said. He commended Spelman College for its role in training future military leaders as one of the top-ranked colleges for military service.
Clarence Johnson, director of DoD’s Office of Diversity Management and Equal Opportunity, thanked the Spelman College Glee Club for its outstanding performance.
“Women have played a major role in our nation’s defense and we continue to honor their service in uniform and as civilians,” he said.
The Spelman College Glee Club, the primary performance organization of the college located in Atlanta, dates back to 1882, one year after the college’s founding. The club’s legacy of song has been inextricably linked with its history, today’s release said. The college’s Glee Club is led by musician and composer Dr. Kevin Johnson, associate professor and chair of music.