Through singing, African-American slaves found a connection to freedom, a way to tell the story of their struggle and a unique way to communicate with one another.

Members of the 100-plus Orangeburg-Wilkinson High School Chorus Department and Chorus Booster Club will host “Preserving the Legacy of African American Sacred Music,” their 11th annual African American Sacred Music Festival, on Saturday, Feb. 25.

A choir made up of high school students from O-W as well as Edisto, Keenan, Chester and Calhoun County high schools will sing spirituals, congregational songs, early gospel, jubilees and contemporary gospel. In 1994, the first festival was also held at O-W, but to accommodate the numbers attending, it has been moved to Andrew Chapel Baptist Church on Five Chop Road in Orangeburg and is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Saturday.

The festival will begin with a workshop from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday at the school.

“One of the significant aspects of the our festival is that our guest artists and clinician are native South Carolinians who are professional recording artists,” says Sheneice Duckett-Smith, O-W choral director of the O-W Chorus Department and coordinator of the festival.

Among those native South Carolinian artists helping with the festival are composer/musician/soloist Richard Odom, contemporary gospel ensemble Jamyle Searcy and Fruit of the Spirit and guitarist Terrance Young.

In his 11th year as guest clinician and choral director of the festival, Richard Odom of Washington, D.C., is a native of Denmark, Currently Minister of Music at Jabbok International Fellowship in Washington, Odom is a singer, composer, musician, recording artist and a vocal performance student at Catholic University. He was featured as guest soloist with Donald Lawrence and Tri-City Singers and A. L. Jinwright Singers with Patrick Love.

Special guests are recording artists Jamyle Searcy and Fruit of the Spirit of Columbia. Jamyle Searcy and Fruit of the Spirit have shared the stage with Detrick Haddon, Byron Cage, Darwin Hobbs and John P. Kee.

For His Name Sake recording artist, guitarist Terrance Young will be featured during the prelude and as guest musician. Young will be signing his CD, “No Greater Love,” at Anointed Hair and Salon, 1250 Brickle St., from noon to 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 25.

The program will also feature former students from the O-W Chorus Department., including the Smith sisters — DaBetta, Denise and Deloris -along with Latrina Pepper and Meosha McDaniel, performing music recorded by professional singing group, the Clark Sisters. Former student Jonathan Mintz leading the male quartet. Dances will be choreographed by Sharon Gathers, dance artist-in-residence John Graves and the AASMF Band, which consists of Orangeburg and Columbia musicians.

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