Mahalia Jackson
“The Queen of Gospel, whose voice carried the spirit of the church to the world and to a movement.”
In 1947 Jackson recorded "Move On Up a Little Higher," which sold millions and became the best-selling gospel single in history. The record made her a national star and the most famous gospel voice in America.
New Orleans Childhood
Born into poverty in New Orleans in 1911, Mahala Jackson grew up singing in Baptist churches. She moved to Chicago at sixteen, working menial jobs while performing in storefront congregations.
Queen of Gospel
Her 1947 hit "Move On Up a Little Higher" sold millions and made gospel a commercial force. With a powerful contralto, she filled concert halls worldwide while refusing to sing secular songs.
Voice of the Movement
A close friend of Martin Luther King Jr., Jackson sang at the 1963 March on Washington just before his "I Have a Dream" speech. She remained a moral and musical force of the civil rights era until her death in 1972.
Career Timeline
- 1911Born in New Orleans, Louisiana
- 1927Moves to Chicago at age sixteen
- 1937Makes her first recordings
- 1947"Move On Up a Little Higher" sells millions
- 1950Performs at Carnegie Hall
- 1954Hosts her own CBS radio program
- 1958Appears at the Newport Jazz Festival
- 1963Sings at the March on Washington
- 1968Sings at Martin Luther King Jr.'s funeral
- 1972Dies in Evergreen Park, Illinois, aged 60
Biggest Hits
- She refused to sing secular music throughout her entire career, devoting her voice to gospel.
- At the 1963 March on Washington she urged Dr. King to "tell them about the dream."
The Moment You Remember
At the 1963 March on Washington she is remembered calling out to Dr. King to "tell them about the dream," a moment many credit with prompting the most famous passage of his address.
Portrait: Comet Photo AG (Zurich) · CC BY-SA 4.0 · via Wikimedia Commons