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February 23, 2000_______________________
B la c k H is to r v
M
On September 26, 1954, there was
a brand new sound in the air. As the
first gospel singer to host a national
b ro a d c a st, M ah alia Ja c k so n
premiered her show on CBS Radio.
Joining her as regulars were pianist
Mildied Falls, organist Ralph Jones,
and Jack Halloran as music director
conducting a white quartet.
The show was such a success that it
ensured her future and widened the
audience for gospel music. Two
> ---------------------------- f f i b s e V W T
The Queen of Gospel
onth
y Ja n u s A dam s
FOCUS
months later, her debut recording
session for the radio giant’s sister
com pany, C olum bia R ecords,
catapulted her to the world stage.
Criticized, as many a legend before
her and since has been, for letting
success “change” her, Jackson felt
the charge had merit. But it was the
repertoire that had changed, not the
woman. In the days when
she was ascending tot he
pantheon where she now
firmly reigned, she had
rallied a following with
“Move On Up a Little
H igher” and D o rsey ’s
“Precious Lord”. Now she
sang
R od g ers
and
H a m m e rste in ’s B roadw ay hit
“You’ll Never Walk Alone.” But
the strength o f her C olum bia
contract was the company’s vision
o f her as a crossover artist - one
who could move music lovers “the
world over,” meaning one whose
sound was black but whose artistic
comfort zone was white. In fact, it
was Columbia Records that had
dubbed her and promoted her to
in ternational stardom as “the
W orld’s Greatest Gospel Singer.”
Cognizant o f where she had come
from and where she was going,
Mahala, as she had been christened,
pragmatically resolved what might
have become a stand-off dilemma
to the otherwise less inspired, less
seasoned. Remaining true to her
musical voice and identity, she
developed a sort o f musicological
b ilin g u a lism , as Dr. H orace
Clarence Boyer notes, “creating two
performance styles: one for the
recording studio and the other for
live performance.”
The State of Oregon is creating history.
A history embracing the story of all Oregonians.
A rich legacy to be left for our children and their children.
Mahalia Jackson, the "Queen o f Gospel Music, " left a
legacy o f gospel recordings and performances that remain
unmatched to this day. As Martin Luther King's favorite
singer, she was chosen to perform at the March on
Washington on August 28, 1963. She graced the mood ju st
before his historic ascent with the spiritual "I been ‘Buked
and I Been Scorned. ”
Women from page 5
the impact o f this ordination transcended Church boundaries.
Small’s ordination and the continuing debate over women’s
right to preach created interdenominational and gender tension
that caused other denominations to reconsider legislative
restrictions on women’s roles. Despite the vigorous debate,
changes in women’s status would come much later in the
twentieth century. However, the possibility o f changing rules
encouraged many women to seek careers in the ministry.
These shifts occurred at a time when suffrage and other rights
o f women were being strongly contested throughout American
society.
Whatever their struggles have been, the reality is
that legions o f black women have preached for almost two
hundred years. Despite the Church’s failure to recognize
their spiritual gifts and their work, they have exercised
leadership in Christian mission and have spoken out on the
issues o f race, sex, class, and color.They have embraced the
Church and joined their sisters in the pew in defending and
supporting it. Their faith has been strengthened and their wits
sharpened by the struggle that they and their foremothers
have endured. They have been eloquent in the articulation of
their faith and constant in their belief in the Holy Spirit.
Black History Month 2000
Joining in this celebration are the following state government agencies:
Office of the Governor
Department of Administrative Services
Housing & Community Services
Public Employees Retirement System
Employment Department
Department of Revenue
Office of Economic and Community Development
Oregon Youth Authority
For more information, visit our web site at www.state.or.us or for
employment opportunities, visit www.oregonjobs.org.
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