In April 1906, a historic series of ecumenical revival meetings began in a modest church building on Azusa Street in Los Angeles, California, led by the African American preacher William J. Seymour. The revival was characterized by intense emotional experiences, accounts of miraculous healings, and instances of speaking in tongues, which participants interpreted as a modern outpouring of the Holy Spirit. This historic revival served as the primary catalyst for the birth of modern Pentecostalism, a movement that rapidly grew into one of the most vibrant branches of Christianity worldwide.

The revival introduced an intensely ecstatic, spontaneous style of oral poetry, testimony, and gospel music into global religious expression. This rich oral tradition and emphasis on the direct, indwelling voice of the Spirit deeply influenced African American spiritual poetry and the rhythmic structure of gospel lyrics.