Charles Albert Tindley (July 7, 1851 – July 26, 1933) was an influential African-American Methodist minister and gospel music composer, often referred to as the "Grandfather of Gospel Music." Born in Berlin, Maryland, Tindley was the son of enslaved parents and became an orphan by the age of five. Despite having no formal education, he taught himself to read by the age of seventeen and later pursued theological studies through correspondence courses.

Tindley moved to Philadelphia after the Civil War, where he initially worked as a hod carrier and later as a janitor at the Bainbridge St. Methodist Episcopal Church. His dedication to education and ministry led him to become ordained in the Methodist Episcopal Church, serving various congregations in Delaware and Maryland. In 1902, he returned to the church where he once worked as a janitor, now as its pastor. Under his leadership, the church grew into a multiracial congregation of over 10,000 members and was renamed Tindley Temple Methodist Church after his death.

A prolific composer, Tindley wrote over 40 hymns, including "I'll Overcome Someday," which inspired the civil rights anthem "We Shall Overcome." His compositions, which blend spirituals and blues, have had a lasting impact on gospel music. Tindley's hymns reflect the struggles and hopes of African Americans, addressing themes of poverty, discrimination, and the promise of deliverance and freedom. His legacy endures in the hymns included in The United Methodist Hymnal and the continued influence of his musical style.