This is Part IV of a four part pancocojams series on the word "jubilee".
This post provides information from three online sources about the differences between Black American Jubilee singing groups and Black American Gospel singing groups.
The content of this post is presented for historical, folkloric, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to the legacies of all the early Jubilee and/or the early Gospelsinging groups that are included in these write-ups as well as the legacies of the early Jubilee and/or the early Gospel singing groups that aren't mentioned in these write-ups. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post. .
**** ONLINE SOURCES ON THIS SUBJECT These online sources are numbered for referencing purposes only.
SOURCE #1 Fromhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jubilee_quartet "Jubilee quartets were popular African-American religious
musical groups in the first half of the 20th century. The name derives from the
Fisk Jubilee Singers, a group of singers organized by George L. White at Fisk
University in 1871 to sing Negro spirituals. The members of the original Fisk
Jubilee Quartet (1909–1916) were Alfred G. King (first bass), James A. Myers
(second tenor), Noah W. Ryder (second bass), and John W. Work II (first
tenor).[1] Students at other historically black schools, such as Hampton
Institute, Tuskegee Institute and Wilberforce University, followed suit. Many
independent jubilee troupes also found inspiration in the Fisk Jubilee Singers,
such as the Original Nashville Students.
The early jubilee quartets featured close harmonies, formal
arrangements and a "flatfooted" style of singing that emphasized
restrained musical expression and technique derived from Western musical
traditions. Early quartets reinforced their respectable image by adopting
uniforms that a university glee club might wear and discouraging improvisation.
In time, however, the popularity of the jubilee style spread
from the universities to black churches, where quartets, singing before
audiences with a tradition of enthusiastic response, began to absorb much of
the energy and freedom of Gospel music coming out of Holiness churches. Groups
such as the Golden Gate Quartet—originally named the Golden Gate Jubilee
Quartet—infused their performances of spirituals with the rhythmic beat of
blues and jazz and gradually began including gospel standards written by Thomas
A. Dorsey and others in their repertoire. The Gates and other jubilee quartets
gained nationwide popularity through radio broadcasts, records and touring in
the 1930s and 1940s.
Other groups, such as the Dixie Hummingbirds and the
Original Five Blind Boys of Alabama (formally known as the Happyland Jubilee
Singers) that had begun singing in the conventional jubilee style went further,
creating the more improvisational and fervent style of quartet singing known as
"hard Gospel". That new style largely eclipsed jubilee singing by the
1950s."...
**** SOURCE #2 From https://timeline.carnegiehall.org/genres/gospel-quartetSacred Gospel Quartet “We changed our name to the Jericho Quintet for the clubs.
During that time [1940s] the gospel audiences weren’t ready for a night club
group, so we worked under the Jericho Quintet in the [club] Café Society. But
back in the church we were the Dixie Hummingbirds.” -Ira Tucker, Lead Singer, Dixie Hummingbirds
"The gospel quartet sound began evolving in the1940s
when jubilee quartets incorporated songs by pioneering gospel songwriters, such
as Thomas Dorsey and Lucie Campbell, in their repertoire. The Dixie
Hummingbirds, Golden Gate Quartet and the Soul Stirrers, among others, helped
to introduce and popularize this new musical style, initially rejected by
ministers of denominational churches, to the Black masses through their live
performances and regular broadcasts on local radio. In the 1950s some jubilee
quartets had begun slowly transforming into gospel quartets. This
transformation included a repertoire of nearly as many gospels as jubilee
songs, and the addition of instruments, particularly the guitar. Influenced by
the bluesy melodies of Thomas A. Dorsey’s gospel songs and the sanctified
singing style of Holiness-Pentecostal churches, gospel quartets emerged as a
distinct tradition. By the 1960s, several quartets had also added piano,
Hammond organ and drums.
The Soul Stirrers is believed to have been the first jubilee
quartet to shift completely to gospel music. They moved away from a collective
group singing style to one that featured a lead tenor supported by refrain
lines repeated throughout the song (“Glory, Glory, Halleluiah” and
“Wonderful”). After World War II, from about 1945 to 1960, gospel quartets
reigned supreme. Many semi-professional groups toured the country, and some
made performing their full-time profession. They sang at special gospel programs
held in auditoriums and other large venues. By the 1960s, the gospel quartet
sound had acquired shouts, screams and growls, and other non-verbal utterances.
Rhythmic thigh slapping and other bodily movements further intensified the
style, represented best by the Five Blind Boys of Alabama led by Clarence
Fountain (“Alone and Motherless”). New trends eclipsed the popularity of gospel
quartets, but their sound resurfaced in rhythm and blues vocal groups, many of
whose members began in gospel quartets, such as Billy Ward and the Dominoes and
the Isley Brothers."...
**** SOURCE #3
[Pancocojams Editor's Note - This AI Overview write-ups are the results of my April 20, 2026 queries on this subject.]
"AI Overview
Jubilee songs (often called jubilee spirituals) and Black
gospel songs differ primarily in their musical style, performance context, and
origin, with jubilee serving as an early, often a cappella bridge between slave
spirituals and the more modern, instrumental-driven Black gospel music of the
1920s and 1930s.
Here are the key differences between the two:
1. Musical Style and Structure
Jubilee: Features tight, close-harmony singing, often
performed in a four-part harmony style. It is generally more restrained and
rhythmic, focusing on ensemble singing rather than individual vocal gymnastics.
Gospel: Characterized by high-energy, soulful, and dramatic
improvisation. It features strong, emotional vocal solos (screams, moans) over
a rhythmic foundation, frequently with high-spirited call-and-response between
the soloist and the group.
2. Instrumentation
Jubilee: Traditionally, jubilee singing is a cappella or
accompanied by very minimal instrumentation. The focus is on the human voice
blending.
Gospel: Known for heavy instrumental accompaniment,
typically including piano, Hammond organ, drums, bass guitar, and tambourines.
3. Origins and Content
Jubilee: Originated in the late 19th century (popularized by
the Fisk Jubilee Singers in the 1870s) as a polished, concert-style arrangement
of traditional enslaved people's spirituals. They often carried subtle, coded
messages of freedom.
Gospel: Developed later (early 20th century) as a new genre
of sacred music, often composed by known artists (e.g., Thomas A. Dorsey)
rather than passed down through oral tradition. It is more directly influenced
by blues and ragtime, focusing on personal testimony, joy, and emotional
release.
4. Performance Context
Jubilee: Historically presented in a more formal concert
setting, designed to be accessible to both Black and white audiences in the
post-Civil War era, helping to introduce spirituals to the world.
Gospel: Developed primarily within the Pentecostal and
Baptist churches, becoming a core part of the worship service, and was designed
to be ecstatic and engaging.
Summary Table
Feature Jubilee
Song
VocalsTight 4-part
harmony, blended
InstrumentsOften A
cappella or minimal
OriginPost-Civil War
Spirituals
StyleRestrained,
rhythmic
Summary Table
Feature Black Gospel Song
VocalsImprovised, solos, passionate
InstrumentsOrgan, piano, drums, guitars
OriginEarly 20th Century Sacred
StyleEnergetic, blues-influenced
While different, many early gospel groups, such as the
Golden Gate Quartet, successfully blended the two styles, bringing the tight
harmonies of the jubilee tradition to the upbeat, lyrical nature of gospel
music."
**** This concludes Part IV of this pancocojams series.
Here's Jean Ritchie- Jubilee. I couldn't find it anywhere on
YouTube so I made my own. Enjoy!
No copyright infringement intended.
**** Edited by Azizi Powell
Latest update - April 20, 2026*
This is Part III of a four part pancocojams series on the word "jubilee" .
This post showcases a YouTube audio file of folk singer Jean Ritchie singing the Appalachian play party song "Swing And Turn Jubilee" (also given as "Jubilee").
This post also presents information about (White) American singer Jean Ritchie as well as general information about play party songs, information about the song "Swing And Turn, Jubilee" and information about the word "Jubilee" in this song.
This information is provided from selected comments from a Mudcat folk music discussion thread (in which Jean Ritchie provides a comment), selected comments from the discussion thread of this post's showcase YouTube sound file, as well as from Wikipedia, from two AI Overview write-ups, and from other websites.
The content of this post is presented for historical, folkloric, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to Jean Ritchie for her musical legacy. Thanks to the unknown composer of this song and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to the publisher of this sound file on YouTube.
**** PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S NOTES This post may depart from this pancocojams blog's mission of showcasing the music, dances, language practices, & customs of African Americans and of other people of Black descent throughout the world.
I wrote "may" because the composer of this Appalachian play party song is unknown.
I'm aware that Jean Ritchie was a White American woman from the state of Kentucky and Kentucky is part of the Appalachian region of the United States. However, contrary to widely held beliefs in the United States, Black people historically have lived in Appalachia and Black people still live in Appalachia.
Furthermore, contrary to the beliefs of some folklorists and others who know this play party song "Swing And Turn Jubilee" Jean Ritchie publicly indicated that neither she nor her family composed this play party song. Read comment #7 Mudcat Selected Comments" in this pancocojams post. In that comment, Jean Ritchie wrote that she got "Swing And Turn Jubilee" from someone in her community and that it was well known in that community. Whether or not there were any Black people in Ritchie's community, my point is that "Swing And Turn Jubilee" could have originated with a Black person. and/or "Swing And Turn Jubilee" could have been part of the cross racial music composing and music performances that occurred in Appalachia and elsewhere in the United States at that time and later.
Be that as it may, I'm showcasing "Swing And Turn Jubilee" because I'm interested in learning more about and sharing information and examples of play party songs.
**** TWO AI OVERVIEW WRITE-UPS ABOUT THE WORD "JUBILEE" IN THE PLAY PARTY SONG "SWING AND TURN JUBILEE"
from AI Overview #1 [These AI write-ups are the results of my April 19, 2026 query on this subject. I numbered these write-ups for referencing purposes only. I asked the question two times to see if there were any differences to the results.]
"In the folk song and singing game "Swing and Turn/Jubilee," Jubilee represents a joyful, high-energy dance celebration, often signaling a time of release, fun, and communal togetherness. Rooted in Appalachian tradition, the term implies a festive, chaotic "whirlwind" dance reel rather than just a formal anniversary.
Musical/Dance Meaning: "Jubilee" functions as a vibrant refrain in the singing game, encouraging dancers to swing partners with energy.
Cultural Context: In Appalachian folklore, it signifies a lively party or community gathering where "swingin' in the true love's arms" is the "easiest work".
Alternative Significance: While in some contexts, "Jubilee" in African American folk traditions refers to freedom from hardship or slavery, in the context of "Swing and Turn," it is primarily a term for joyful, often impromptu, celebration.
**** AI Overview #2
"In the Appalachian folk song "Swing and Turn, Jubilee," the word Jubilee serves as a euphemism for a dance or a joyous celebration.
Historically, this term was used to bypass religious restrictions on dancing in Kentucky mountain communities.
Key Meanings in the Song
The "Play-Party" Euphemism: In many strict Appalachian religious communities, dancing to instruments like fiddles was considered sinful. To get around this, communities created "singing games" or "play-parties" where participants sang the music themselves while performing dance movements like "reeling" or "swinging". Calling the event a "Jubilee" made it socially and religiously acceptable.
A Biblical Reference to Freedom: The word originates from the biblical "Year of Jubilee" (Leviticus 25), a time every 50 years when slaves were freed and debts were forgiven. In the context of folk music—especially African American spirituals and later Appalachian music—it symbolizes a time of deliverance, future happiness, and communal joy.
Musical Style: In a broader folk context, "jubilee" also refers to a specific style of up-tempo, rhythmic performance, often associated with spirituals or quartets that emphasize celebration and exultation.
Origin and Popularity
The song is a traditional "gamesong" famously recorded by Jean Ritchie in 1952. It describes a reel where dancers face each other in lines and "swing" down the length of the formation, with the word "Jubilee" acting as a rhythmic call for the dancers to move."
**** INFORMATION ABOUT PLAY PARTY SONGS From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Play_party_(United_States) "A play party is a social event in which toddlers gather to
sing and dance. Play parties began in the 1830s in the United States as a route
around strict religious practices banning dancing and the playing of musical
instruments. The areas most influenced by the practice were the Southern and
Midwestern parts of the United States. Folk songs, many of European and English
origin, were used as means to give the attendants choreographed movements for
each phrase. No instruments were played at the events, as they were banned by
the religious movements of the area. Singing and clapping were used to convey
each song. Because dancing was banned, the movements took on the quality of
children's games. Though the performance of play parties dwindled in the 1950s,
music educators use them as ways to incorporate music and dance in their
classrooms.[1]
Some traditional examples of play-parties are: Skip to My
Lou, Buffalo Gals, Bingo, Pop Goes the Weasel, Old Dan Tucker, Coffee Grows on
White Oak Trees, and Shoot the Buffalo."
**** INFORMATION ABOUT JEAN RITCHIE From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean_Ritchie "Jean Ruth Ritchie (December 8, 1922 – June 1, 2015) was an
American folk singer, songwriter, and Appalachian dulcimer player,[1] called by
some the "Mother of Folk".[2] In her youth she learned hundreds of
folk songs in the traditional way (orally, from her family and community), many
of which were Appalachian variants of centuries-old British, Scottish and Irish
songs, including dozens of Child Ballads.[3][4] In adulthood, she shared these
songs with wide audiences,[5] as well as writing some of her own songs using
traditional foundations.[4]
She is ultimately responsible for the revival of the
Appalachian dulcimer, the traditional instrument of her community, which she
popularized by playing the instrument on her albums and writing tutorial
books.[4]
She also spent time collecting folk music in the United
States and in Britain and Ireland,[6][7] in order to research the origins of
her family songs and help preserve traditional music.[4]
She inspired a wide array of musicians, including Bob Dylan,
Joan Baez, Shirley Collins, Joni Mitchell, Emmylou Harris and Judy
Collins.[5][2][8]"
Out of Kentucky
Family
Jean Ritchie was born to Abigail (née Hall) Ritchie
(1877–1972) and Balis Wilmar Ritchie (1869–1958) of Viper, an unincorporated
community in Perry County in the Cumberland Mountains of southeastern
Kentucky.[1] Along with the Combs family of adjacent Knott County,[a] the
Ritchies of Perry County were one of the two "great ballad-singing
families" of Kentucky celebrated among folk song scholars"...
**** SELECTED COMMENTS FROM MUDCAT DISCUSSION FORUM ABOUT THE PLAY PARTY SONG "SWING AND TURN JUBILEE" (Including a comment from Jean Ritchie)
1. Subject: Swing and Turn Jubilee From: banjogal Date: 10 Mar 01 - 11:26 AM
"Anyone know the history of this tune? Who wrote it or if
it's traditional, any other verses, where it came from....
Thanks"
** 2. Subject: RE: Help: Swing and Turn Jubilee From: Sandy Paton Date: 10 Mar 01 - 12:21 PM
"It's from Jean Ritchie, and is probably under copyright.
She's an occasional Mudcatter, so she can answer your question better than
anyone else! Come on in, Kytrad!"
** 3. Subject: RE: Help: Swing and Turn Jubilee From: GUEST,Roll&Go-C Date: 10 Mar 01 - 01:05 PM
"Looks to me from the DT like there are a number of floating
verses from Shady Grove, Get Along Home, Cindy, I'm Goin' Down to Lynchburg
Town et al; my favorite verse of this type is:
Love it is a killing thing,
Beauty is a blossem,
If you want your finger bit,
Poke it at a possum.
But then there's also:
I'm gonna get some sticks and stones,
Build my chimney higher,
So when that old tom cat comes by,
He won't put out my fire." -snip- "The DT" is the "Digital Tradition", a repository of folk song lyrics that is housed on the online Mudcat folk music forum.
** 4. Subject: RE: Help: Swing and Turn Jubilee From: Pinetop Slim Date: 10 Mar 01 - 01:48 PM
"Sandy, from her last postings, I'd guess Jean Ritchie still
has another week or so on her 50th anniversary Caribbean cruise. Alan Lomax, in
Folk Songs of N. America, says she recorded it for him in 1949. "A
composite of stanzas from many play-party and square dance songs. Last two
verses added from the record Southern Singing Games, Elektra EKLP 2."
** 5. Subject: RE: Help: Swing and Turn Jubilee From: Sandy Paton Date: 10 Mar 01 - 03:22 PM
"I haven't looked, but isn't the song included in her Singing
Family of the Cumberlands? Granted, it's a "zipper verse" type
of song, but if Alan included it in Folk Songs of North America, you can bet
your boots that someone has this particular version copyrighted.
I remember Frank Warner singing the "get your finger
bit" verse in one of his songs. True, too!" -snip- "Zipper verse type of song" = a song that has some floating verses from other songs that can be added to [zippered into] its lyrics. ["Floating verses" are song/rhyme verses that are found in more than one song or rhyme.]
** 6. Subject: RE: Help: Swing and Turn Jubilee From: Joe Offer Date: 10 Mar 01 - 04:03 PM
"It's not in "Singing Family," Sandy, but it is in
Jean Ritchie's Folk Songs of the Southern Appalachians, which I think is still
in print. Jean says the song was copyrighted in 1939 by Lynn Rorhbough. Jean
says her mother and father used to sing and play this party game when they were
courting. I'll send Jean a personal message and ask what she can post about the
song."
** 7. Subject: RE: Help: Swing and Turn Jubilee From: kytrad (Jean Ritchie) Date: 10 Mar 01 - 06:05 PM
"Hello all, and welcome, Banjoperson! Well, Jubilee IS a
Ritchie Family gamesong, but I never did a "protective" copyright on
it because it was collected from another source in the community- everyone
around knew it. A lady named Marian Skein wrote it down at Ary, KY, and it was
published by (Mr.) Lynn Rohrbough, Cooperative Recreation Service, Delaware, OH
in 1939. Now has become World Around Songs and has a different address (will
look it up if anyone REALLY wants to know!).
The verses we sing are pretty well set, as we sang just the
number to get us through one turn of the game (circle for as many as will, but
our living rooms would hold just about six or seven couples). There's a reel
down between the lines at the end, then another couple leads out, as in the
Virginia Reel. If anyone needs my verses, holler.
Folk Songs of the Southern Appalachians was reissued last
year by University Press of KY; this year they reissued, The Swapping Song
Book. It's like having a second family, very pleasing."... -snip- The remainder of this comment refers to the cruise that she had just gotten home from.
** 8. Subject: Origins: Swing and Turn Jubillee From: lefthanded guitar Date: 26 Dec 12 - 04:22 PM
"Recently added this song to my playlist and I'm wondering if
anyone knows its origins. And what the title is referencing?
There's more than one version of the song btw, I do the one
that starts
All Along the Old Railroad."
** 9. Subject: Origins: Swing And Turn, Jubilee From: MickyMan Date: 20 Jan 17 - 02:02 PM
"Anybody have some info about the background of this song? Is
it traditional or composed?
I've always been
under the impression that it was written by Jean Ritchie, and the version on
the digitrad looks like hers in every way. It's not listed with credit for Jean
Ritchie, however, but it also doesn't say "Traditional"
The other day I
heard a nice Youtube version by Alyson Kraus on Youtube that was much slower
(listed simply as "Jubilee"). It used the same refrain as Ritchie's
"Swing and turn, Jubilee Live and
learn, Jubilee. The verses were different, however.
Are they both
writing new verses to an earlier traditional refrain? What's up?"
** 10. Subject: RE: Origins: Swing and Turn Jubilee From: Joe Offer Date: 20 Jan 17 - 02:58 PM
"Hi, MickyMan-
I've moved you over to the existing origins thread. See the
message above (click) from kytrad (Jean Ritchie). She says it's from her
community and her family - not her composition."
** 11. Subject: ADD Version: Swing and Turn Jubilee (Ritchie) From: Joe Offer Date: 08 Dec 20 - 12:53 AM
JUBILEE
All out on the old railroad, ’S’all out on the sea, ’S’all out on the old railroad Far as eye can see.
Swing ’n’ turn,
Jubilee! Live ’n’ learn,
Jubilee!
Hardest work I ever done Working on the farm, Easiest work I ever done Swinging my true love’s arm.
Swing ’n’ turn,
Jubilee! Live ’n’ learn,
Jubilee!
Coffee grows on the white-oak tree, Sugar runs in brandy, Boys as pure as a lump of gold, Girls as sweet as candy.
Swing ’n’ turn,
Jubilee! Live ’n’ learn,
Jubilee!
If I had me a needle and thread Fine as I could sew, Sew my true love to my side, And down this creek I’d go.
Swing ’n’ turn,
Jubilee! Live ’n’ learn,
Jubilee!
If I had no horse to ride, I’d be found a-crawling, Up and down this rocky road Looking for my darling.
Swing ’n’ turn,
Jubilee! Live ’n’ learn,
Jubilee!
All out on the old railroad, ’S’all out on the sea, ’S’all out on the old railroad Far as eye can see.
Swing ’n’ turn,
Jubilee! Live ’n’ learn,
Jubilee!
Copyright 1940 by Lynn Rohrbough (Cooperative Recreation
Service)
From Jean Ritchie's Swapping Song Book (1952 & 1999),
page 26"
** 12. Subject: RE: Origins: Swing and Turn Jubilee From: cnd Date: 19 Oct 22 - 02:01 PM
"From American Square Dance (Dec 1979, p. 15), the dance
seems to be "similar" to that of the Virginia Reel. Recall that any
"flirtatious" movements like swinging.
"Coffee grows on a White Oak tree, Sugar runs in Brandy.
Girls as sweet as a lump of gold, Boys as sweet as candy."
The coffee from the White Oak tree in these lyrics from the
play party "Jubilee" refers to the pioneers making coffee from
acorns. One verse of "Jubilee", the steps of which bear considerable
resemblance to the Virginia Reel, tells of the delight taken in the games.
Haven't been able to find any videos or anything more
direct, but that's at least a start."
** 13. Subject: RE: Origins: Swing and Turn Jubilee From: cnd Date: 19 Oct 22 - 02:02 PM
... "flirtatious" movements like swinging were not
allowed." -snip- This is cnd's complete comment.
** 14. Subject: RE: Origins: Swing and Turn Jubilee From: cnd Date: 19 Oct 22 - 02:06 PM
"Here's something a little more concrete:
This play party game comes from Jean Ritchie’s family
tradition.
Children stand facing a partner in two lines holding hands.
The ends of the lines also hold hands so they can circle to the left until back
in their original position in two lines. Hands are dropped and the pair at the
head of the line skips sideway to the bottom of the set as the others clap.
Once they reach the foot the game continues as before.
1. @morrigankasa570, 2016 "this song is very catchy and makes me think of a square
dance"
** Reply 2. @sandramorey2529, 2021 "Morrigan KASA: not a square dance, but close. It is a Play Party song. Not allowed to dance, but you could sneak in
a dance to it. Sung at parties."
** 3.@reynardinegreencastl, 2017 "This was the first song I ever heard her sing. It was
broadcast on a folk song program when I was a kid, some six decades back...
(Yes, radios had tubes back then!)"
** 4.@spillthatwine, 2020 "It's all out on the old railroad,
It's all out on the sea,
All out on the old railroad,
Far as I can see.
chorus:
Swing and turn, Jubilee,
Live and learn, Jubilee.
Swing and turn, Jubilee,
Live and learn, Jubilee.
Hardest work I ever done,
Workin' on the farm,
Easiest work I ever done,
Swingin' my true love's arm.
If I had a needle and thread,
As fine as I could sew,
I'd sew my true love to my side
And down this creek I'd go.
If I had no horse to ride,
I'd be found a-callin'
Up and down this rocky road
Lookin' for my darlin'.
Some will come on a Sat'day night,
Some will come on Sunday;
If you give 'em half a chance
They'll be back on Monday.
I won't have no widder man
Neither will my cousin,
You can get such stuff as that
For fifteen cents a dozen.
Coffee grows on a white oak tree,
Sugar runs in brandy,
Girls are sweet as a lump of gold,
Boys as sweet as candy."
** 5. @sandramorey2529, 2021 "Great play party song.
I've been teaching my singing class this song for 49 years in the SF Bay
Area. Now on Zoom. Jean Ritchie was a source singer having
learned her songs within her family and Kentucky community. Thanks for posting"
** 6. @midnightcasino,2024 "Randomly remembered tihs, they had us sing this in 2nd grade
music class lol"
** Reply 7. @jshowers01, 2024 "Shout out to your music teacher"
** 8. @bigcountryV, 2025 "I picked up an old time banjo a few months ago. Now I've been going down the rabbit hole. I
am in love with this stuff. This is the
first song I've ever heard of hers. Im
definitly gonna listen to more."
**** This completes Part II of this pancocojams series.
Fisk Jubilee Singers-a History ..."Swing Low Sweet
Chariot" (1909)
Jay Sweet, Jul 8, 2020
A History of The Fisk Jubilee Singers. A History of American Music 1750-1950.
Included is the earliest recording of "Swing Low Sweet Chariot."
Presented by Jay Sweet
**** Edited by Azizi Powell
Latest updates - April 20, 2026
This is Part II of a four part series on the word "jubilee".
This pancocojams post showcases the original Fisk Jubilee Singers' 1909 recording of "Swing Low Sweet Chariot".
This post also presents information about The Fisk Jubilee Singers & six other Black American singing groups with the word "Jubilee" in their name.
That post also presents information about White American singer Jean Ritchie as well as general information about play party songs, information about the song "Swing And Turn, Jubilee" and information about the word "Jubilee" in this song.
1 : (often capitalized Jubilee) a year of emancipation and
restoration provided by ancient Hebrew law to be kept every 50 years by the
emancipation of Hebrew slaves, restoration of alienated lands to their former
owners, and omission of all cultivation of the land
2 : a special anniversary; especially : a 50th anniversary
3 : a period of time proclaimed by the Roman Catholic pope
ordinarily every 25 years as a time of special solemnity
4 : a state of joy or rejoicing : jubilation
5 : a religious song of black Americans usually referring to
a time of future happiness
[…]
Did You Know?
According to Leviticus, every 50th year was to be a time
when Hebrew slaves were set free, lands were given back to their former owners,
and the fields were not harvested. This year of liberty was announced when a
ram's horn was blown. In Hebrew, that ceremonial horn was called a yōbhēl,
and the celebratory year took its name from that of the horn. As the Bible was
translated into other languages, the concept of the yōbhēl spread around
the world, as did its name (albeit with spelling modifications). In Latin, yōbhēl
was transcribed as jubilaeus (influenced by Latin jubilare,
meaning "to let out joyful shouts"). French-speakers adopted the word
as jubilé, and English-speakers created jubilee from the French and Latin
forms."
**** SOURCE #2 From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jubilee_quartet "Jubilee quartets were popular African-American religious
musical groups in the first half of the 20th century. The name derives from the
Fisk Jubilee Singers, a group of singers organized by George L. White at Fisk
University in 1871 to sing Negro spirituals. The members of the original Fisk
Jubilee Quartet (1909–1916) were Alfred G. King (first bass), James A. Myers
(second tenor), Noah W. Ryder (second bass), and John W. Work II (first
tenor).[1] Students at other historically black schools, such as Hampton
Institute, Tuskegee Institute and Wilberforce University, followed suit. Many
independent jubilee troupes also found inspiration in the Fisk Jubilee Singers,
such as the Original Nashville Students.
The early jubilee quartets featured close harmonies, formal
arrangements and a "flatfooted" style of singing that emphasized
restrained musical expression and technique derived from Western musical
traditions. Early quartets reinforced their respectable image by adopting
uniforms that a university glee club might wear and discouraging improvisation.
In time, however, the popularity of the jubilee style spread
from the universities to black churches, where quartets, singing before
audiences with a tradition of enthusiastic response, began to absorb much of
the energy and freedom of Gospel music coming out of Holiness churches. Groups
such as the Golden Gate Quartet—originally named the Golden Gate Jubilee
Quartet—infused their performances of spirituals with the rhythmic beat of
blues and jazz and gradually began including gospel standards written by Thomas
A. Dorsey and others in their repertoire. The Gates and other jubilee quartets
gained nationwide popularity through radio broadcasts, records and touring in
the 1930s and 1940s.
Other groups, such as the Dixie Hummingbirds and the
Original Five Blind Boys of Alabama (formally known as the Happyland Jubilee
Singers) that had begun singing in the conventional jubilee style went further,
creating the more improvisational and fervent style of quartet singing known as
"hard Gospel". That new style largely eclipsed jubilee singing by the
1950s”…
**** SOURCE #3 From https://www.fiskjubileesingers.org/overview "The Fisk Jubilee Singers are vocal artists and students at
Fisk University in Nashville, TN., who sing and travel worldwide.
The original Fisk Jubilee Singers introduced ‘slave songs’
to the world in 1871 and were instrumental in preserving this unique American
musical tradition known today as Negro spirituals.
They broke racial barriers in the US and abroad in the late
19th century and entertained Kings and Queens in Europe. At the same time, they
raised money in support of their beloved school."
**** SOURCE #4 From https://www.fiskjubileesingers.org/history "Fisk University opened in Nashville in 1866 as the first
American university to offer a liberal arts education to “young men and women
irrespective of color.” Five years later the school was in dire financial
straits.
George L. White, Fisk treasurer and music professor then,
created a nine-member choral ensemble of students and took it on tour to earn
money for the University. The group left campus on October 6, 1871. Jubilee Day
is celebrated annually on October 6 to commemorate this historic day.
The first concerts were in small towns. Surprise, curiosity,
and some hostility were the early audience response to these young black
singers who did not perform in the traditional “minstrel fashion.”
One early concert in Cincinnati brought in $50, which was
promptly donated to victims of the notorious 1871 fire in Chicago. When they
reached Columbus, the next city on tour, the students were physically and
emotionally drained. Mr. White, in a gesture of hope and encouragement, named
them “The Jubilee Singers,” a Biblical reference to the year of Jubilee in the
Book of Leviticus, Chapter 25"
**** SOURCE #5 From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pace_Jubilee_Singers "The Pace Jubilee Singers were a gospel group founded by
Charles Henry Pace in Chicago in 1925, and one of the first gospel groups to be
recorded. They recorded more than 40 songs for Victor and for Brunswick Records
in 1926–29, including spirituals arranged by Pace, and songs and hymns by Pace
and Charles Albert Tindley and others. They performed in close harmony style,
usually accompanied by piano or organ. Thomas A. Dorsey was briefly associated
with them. In their later recordings, Hattie Parker is identified as
soloist.[1]"...
**** SOURCE #6 From https://arts.alabama.gov/traditional_culture/folkwaysarticles/BIRMINGHAMSOUND.aspx"BIRMINGHAM SOUND" HAD PROFOUND INFLUENCE ON
AMERICAN POPULAR MUSIC" by Henry Willett (no publishing date given) "In Jefferson County, Alabama, beginning in the first quarter
of the twentieth century, there developed a tradition of African-American a
cappella quartet singing that was to have such widespread influence on the
recorded gospel music industry that numerous record companies applied
"Birmingham" to recording artists who were not even from Alabama,
hoping to take advantage of that city's reputation as the heartland of gospel
quartet music.
With a rich, fluid and mellow intertwining of voices, the
Birmingham Sound" is a direct-line ancestor to the most popular versions
of African-American harmony singing, from the Ink Spots and the Platters to the
Temptations, Take Six and Boyz 2 Men.
In 1926, the Birmingham Jubilee Singers traveled from
Jefferson County to record in Atlanta, after being discovered by a Columbia
Records talent scout. They achieved popularity nation wide and back home
through their live radio broadcasts over stations WAPI, WVRC and WJLD.
In the following two decades, a number of other Jefferson
County Quartets--the Famous Blue Jay Singers, the Dunham Jubilee Singers, and
the Four Great Wonders--followed in the footsteps of the Birmingham Jubilees as
immensely popular recording artists."
The "Birmingham Sound" was nurtured by the
historical migration of African-Americans from the farm to the industrial mill
and mine settlements of Jefferson County in the early twentieth century.
Quartet "trainers," such as Charles Bridges, R. C.
Foster, Son Dunham, and Gilbert Porterfield, products of music teachers from
Tuskegee and Fisk, in turn taught legions of quartet singers, combining those
traditional harmony lesson stressing timing and articulation with many of the
more modern influences of jazz. The result was a dynamic new sound which
emerged from Jefferson County's mining camps and mills towns and became
immensely popular in urban areas across the country, from New York to Los
Angeles.
The "Birmingham Sound," characterized by close
harmony, a stressing of vocal attack and release, exchanging lead vocals from
singer to singers, and a "pumping" rhythmic bass vocal, set the
standard for gospel quartet music."
**** SOURCE #7 From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pilgrim_Jubilees "The Pilgrim Jubilees, also known as The Pilgrim Jubilee Singers, was an American traditional black gospel music group originally from the cities of Jackson, Mississippi and Chicago, Illinois, where they were established by Elgie Graham and Willie Johnson, in 1934. The group have released 25 albums with six record labels Nashboro Records, Peacock Records, Savoy Records, Malaco Records, MCA Records, and Benson Records. Five of those albums charted on the Billboard magazine charts.
Background
The Mississippi and Illinois-based traditional black gospel group, The Pilgrim Jubilees, were established in 1934 by Elgie Graham and Willie Johnson, as a duo at that time in Houston, Mississippi. They added three more members to the duo in 1946:"...
**** SOURCE #8 From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selah_Jubilee_Singers "The Selah Jubilee Singers were an American gospel vocal
quartet, who appeared in public as a gospel group but who also had a successful
recording career as a secular group in the 1930s & 1940s.
History
Around 1927, Thermon Ruth (1914–2002) founded the Selah
Jubilee Singers, a group drawn from the membership of a church choir, while he
was the disc jockey at WOR in Brooklyn, New York. He later based the group in
Raleigh, North Carolina when he moved his radio show to station WPTF. The Selah
Jubilee Singers first recorded on April 28, 1938 for Decca, a session which
included popular songs such as "Take My Hand, Precious Lord" (DE
7598), and in February 1941, "I'll Fly Away" (DE 7831).[1] The group
made the first recording of "Just a Closer Walk With Thee" (Decca
Records 7872), recorded on October 8, 1941 in New York City with Thermon Ruth
and John Ford, lead vocal; Fred Baker, lead baritone; Monroe Clark, baritone;
J. B. Nelson, bass vocal; and Fred Baker on guitar.[2]
By the late 1940s, the members were Ruth, Alden
("Allen") Bunn, Junius Parker, Melvin Coldten, and Jimmy Gorham. In
1949, Ruth and Bunn decided to form a secular vocal group, which became The
Larks.[3] The Larks recorded most successfully for Apollo Records, a New York
City area record company, but split up in 1952.[4]
The Selah Jubilee Singers became the first gospel group to
play in the famed Apollo Theater, known for its vaudeville acts, after Therman
Ruth convinced the owner, Frank Shiffman, to allow a gospel act. On December
15, 1955, the Selah Jubilee Singers debuted at the Apollo, the first gospel
group to play at any commercial theater. Ruth ensured that a variety of music
including gospel, jubilee, and spirituals was featured in order to broaden the
appeal, though the emphasis was on rhythm as well as the emotional components
of gospel.[5]"
This is Part II of a two part pancocojams post about the play party song "Great Big House In New Orleans" (also known as "Great Big House").
This post presents information about American play party songs, with a focus on White default, Color Blindness, and African American cultural contributions to play party songs and their performance activities.
The Addendum to this post presents information and/or my opinions about "White default, color blindness, and those subjects in reference to play party songs and other folk songs.
This pancocojams post also includes general information about play party songs.
That post also presents the history of "Great Big House In New Orleans" as well as the lyrics & performance directions for this play party song..
The content of this post is presented for historical, folkloric, socio-cultural, and recreational and purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to to all those who are quoted in this post, and thanks to all of the collectors of play party songs.
**** DISCLAIMER Publishing these online write-ups and these excerpts does not mean that I agree with everything that is written in those excerpts and doesn't mean that I believe that these write-ups and excerpts provide a complete summary of these subjects..
**** GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT PLAY PARTY SONGS
SOURCE #1 From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Play_party_(United_States) "A play party is a social event in which toddlers gather to
sing and dance. Play parties began in the 1830s in the United States as a route
around strict religious practices banning dancing and the playing of musical
instruments. The areas most influenced by the practice were the Southern and
Midwestern parts of the United States. Folk songs, many of European and
English origin, were used as means to give the attendants choreographed
movements for each phrase. No instruments were played at the events, as they
were banned by the religious movements of the area. Singing and clapping were
used to convey each song. Because dancing was banned, the movements took on the
quality of children's games. Though the performance of play parties dwindled in
the 1950s, music educators use them as ways to incorporate music and dance in
their classrooms.[1]
Some traditional examples of play-parties are: Skip to My
Lou, Buffalo Gals, Bingo, Pop Goes the Weasel, Old Dan Tucker, Coffee Grows on
White Oak Trees, and Shoot the Buffalo."
The
origin of the term "play party" is interesting, Some rural religious communities didn't approve of dancing or music of the fiddle, which they considered the "Instrument of the Devil." …. The Church code of conduct read that unruly song and dance was a social evil. Specifically mentioned was the forbidden swinging of arms and legs. … rural Americans agreed on an acceptable cover-up for dancing. It was a new term: play party. These two words together suggested healthy recreation to the authorities who might otherwise have objected. After all, there would be no fiddling since everyone sang the music. Approved conduct rules fell into place, such as no alcohol, no carousing, and no swinging by the waist.
The play party traveled with pioneer families across the United States in the 1850s and onward. Settlers and immigrants sang about cities and states. such as "Goin' to Boston," "Alabama Gal," and "Great Big House in New Orleans." I note, however, that they were only singing about these urban places, not wanting to move to them.
In the "old days," play parties needed some non-musical organization. There was a need to accommodate parents with babies or small children. Volunteer hosts provided extra rooms for the youngest while parents danced. Hosts (girls or women) secured a place such as a living room, parlor, or barn. They found room to tie up horses or to park buggies and wagons for those who didn't walk to the events. If the weather was fine, dances might take place in someone's field or front or back yard, perhaps under moonlight.
[…]
Play Party Songs
"Songs were catchy and provided an easy verse form to which new lines could be made up," notes Ives in The Wayfaring Stranger. One of those catchy songs was "Skip to my Lou," a favorite of Lincoln's. Others were well-known folk and popular songs of the time, such as "Yankee Doodle," "Pop Goes the Weasel," "Oh! Susanna," and "I've Been Working on the Railroad."...
I enjoy the melodies and lyrics of American personalities, such as "Old Joe Clark," "Sally Down the Alley," and "Captain Jinks."
[...]
Play Parties and Other Dance Forms
In many books and on recordings, the play party is listed as, or implied to be, a "singing game." Janet E. Tobitt described it as a "singing game for recreation." She writes that her examples are American play parties but refers to them as "singing games for recreation." Elsewhere in her publications, she uses the term "song dances." Notably, she was born and educated in the U.K., where the term play party is not generally recognized.
[…]
Reviving the Play Party
Music educators have become known for promoting play parties in journals and at national and local conferences and meetings, particularly by the American Orff Schulwerk Association. Martha Riley, a prominent music educator, wrote in the Orff Echo:
Accompanied only with singing, play parties use simple footwork with the emphasis on social and 'game' aspects. Children experience movements and concepts found in traditional folk dances . . . While you may think play parties are more difficult than dancing to recorded music because the children must do two things at once: sing and move. But the words of the song often include dance instructions, so that singing makes the game easier to play. Furthermore, when children are singing, the beat is internal… Children are more aware of the beat, phrase, and form when making music themselves."... -snip- The portion given in italics was written that way online.
**** AFRICAN AMERICAN INFLUENCE ON PLAY PARTY SONGS
SOURCE #1 AI Overview [result of my April 18, 2026 query] "African American influence on play party songs—a genre of
folk dance/games popular in the 19th/20th centuries—brought intense rhythmic
energy, syncopation, and call-and-response structures derived from work songs
and spirituals. These songs bridged traditional African melodies with American
culture, introducing dynamic, game-focused rhythms into community dancing.
Key elements of African American influence include:
Rhythmic Syncopation: Moving away from rigid European
rhythms, African American play parties introduced "swing,"
"swung," and "rocked" rhythms that characterized community
social dances.
Call and Response: Play parties often utilized this
traditional musical form, crucial for interactive, group participation.
Incorporation of Game Songs: Specific game songs with roots
in African American communities, such as "Mary Mack," "May Go
'Round the Needle," and "Plantation Dance," were key to these
social gatherings.
Cultural Adaptation: The melodies and rhythms were directly
influenced by plantation traditions and the music of African descendants in
America, adapting African traditions to new contexts.
These, alongside religious music, blues, and later funk,
formed the foundational rhythmic elements of many American celebratory
practices and popular dances. "
**** SOURCE #2 AI Overview [This write-up is the result of my query on April 19, 2026] "Identifying Black American elements in American folk songs
involves recognizing specific musical, rhythmic, and lyrical traditions that
originated from African musical practices and the African American experience,
particularly during slavery. Key elements include the call-and-response
structure, heavy use of syncopation, the pentatonic scale, blue notes, and
lyrical themes focused on work, sorrow, liberation, and resilience.
Here are the primary Black American elements found in
American folk music:
1. Rhythmic & Melodic Characteristics
Call-and-Response: A leader sings or plays a phrase, and a
group or instrument responds, mirroring West African communal music.
Syncopation & Polyrhythms: Layering different rhythms on
top of each other, emphasizing the "off-beat." This is the
foundational rhythm behind ragtime and early jazz.
Blue Notes and Melisma: "Bent" notes, usually the
3rd or 7th degree of the scale, that fall between major and minor. Melisma
involves singing multiple notes on one syllable.
Pentatonic Scale: Frequent use of a five-tone scale,
reflecting both West African and European influences.
"Shout" Style: Spirited, rhythmic, and often
improvised singing style associated with spirituals.
2. Performance Practices
Improvisation: Individual creativity is prioritized within
the structure of a song.
Roughness/Noise: A preference for a "dirty" or
"stank" sound—varying vocal timbre, raspy vocals, or vocalized
"groans" and "hollering" to heighten emotional impact.
Body Percussion: Accompanying music with handclapping,
foot-stomping, and dancing (e.g., the Ring Shout).
3. Lyrical and Structural Themes
Spirituals and Freedom Songs: Songs filled with double
meanings, using biblical imagery (like Moses or Jordan) to discuss escaping
slavery or political, social, and religious liberation.
Work Songs/Sea Chanteys: Rhythmic, repetitive songs designed
to coordinate manual labor, designed to lift spirits and keep a steady pace
while working on plantations or docks.
Blues/Ballads: Often focus onpersonal hardship, sorrow,
love, or the stories of "trickster" figures who outsmarted authority.
4. Instrumental Influences
The Banjo: An instrument with direct roots to the West
African akonting, brought over during the Middle Passage and initially played
entirely within Black communities before being adopted into white Appalachian
music.
The "Bones": Percussive, rattling sounds created
by holding animal bones between the fingers.
Examples of Songs:
"Follow the Drinking Gourd": A spiritual
containing coded instructions for escaping slaves.
"John Henry": A ballad celebrating a strong black
work song leader.
"Deep River": A traditional spiritual showing the
expressive, soulful melodic structure.
"Shortnin' Bread": Features the rhythmic
patting/syncopation techniques.
Note: Many American folk songs are a result of
"creolization," or the blending of African and European musical
traditions, particularly in the South, making the African influence fundamental
to American vernacular music. -snip- These fonts are the way that this write-up is given online. -snip- I'd add that the text (words) and the textual structure also may suggests that a particular play party song or other folk song originated with African Americans.
**** SOURCE #3 From https://timeline.carnegiehall.org/genres/game-songs-play-songs "African American children worked beside their mothers in the
field and other settings, where they were exposed to the singing of adults.
Leisure time mutually engaged children and adults in various play/game
activities of both African and European origin and was broadly categorized as:
baby games and plays, handclapping plays, jumps and skips, singing plays, ring
plays, dances, house plays and home amusements, and outdoor games. Games/plays
frequently were played in a ring or line formation. Despite a segregated
society, the traditions of both cultures passed back and forth and were
modified. In keeping with African practices, performers added individual
signatures to these traditions through minor changes in melodies, rhythms,
words, and/or movements. They also created songs to accompany new games and
forms of play that became part of the broader repertoire.
[...]
Musical Features/Performance Style
The African American tradition is distinguished
from its European-derived counterpart by its distinctive imagery and complex
dance steps, accompanied by rhythmic (often syncopated) handclapping, and
foot-stomping. The singing employs call-and-response structure and repetitive
choruses also associated with African musical practices.
Lyrics
Game and social or play songs derived text from various
sources: the game itself; folktales; children’s fantasies and experiences;
popular songs of the time; and television commercials, along with their
interpretation of local events and the world around them (often using their
colloquialisms)."... -snip- Italics added to highlight that sentence.
**** ADDENDUM #1: PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S NOTE ABOUT WHITE DEFAULT, COLOR BLINDNESS, AND PLAY PARTY SONGS People who teach play party songs or other folk songs may think that they are being "color-blind" by not mentioning race. However, by not mentioning race they are actually reinforcing the viewpoint that only White people are responsible for composing those songs. This is because both online and offline "White" is the default race (just as "male" is the default gender). When no race is mentioned for an individual (unless the discussion is about some criminal act or something that is stereotypically considered to be the purview of a particular race/ethnicity), people automatically assume that that person is White (just as people automatically assume that people posting online are male).
Regardless of their race or ethnicity, children shouldn't be led to believe that White people were the only composers of play party songs or other folk songs.
White default means to automatically assume that the creators everything good were White people, and particularly White men.
This automatic assumption hits home for me because I'm a seventy-eight year old Black woman who remembers going to an elementary school (in Atlantic City, New Jersey) in the 1950s when all the teachers were White except for two Black teachers. And I remember one of those White teachers saying "Black people didn't have any culture".
That statement may have been what eventually led me decades later to start and work on this pancocojams blog which focuses on sharing information about and celebrating examples of Black cultures in the United States and elsewhere around the world.
**** ADDENDUM #2- AI OVERVIEW WRITE-UPS ABOUT WHITE DEFAULT AI Overview [This write-up is a result of my April 19, 2026 query about the meaning of "White default"]
"White Default: Examining Racialized Biases Behind AI
..."White default" refers to the societal, cultural, or media-driven
assumption that whiteness is the standard, normal, or neutral state. It means
that white characters, experiences, or behaviors are assumed unless specified
otherwise, often centering Western perspectives and perpetuating racialized
biases in literature, media, and AI.
Key Aspects of "White Default"
Media and Fiction Representation: In Western fiction,
characters are often assumed to be white unless their race is explicitly
stated, largely due to historical trends and author demographics.
AI and Societal Bias: Generative AI tools often reproduce
this bias, creating images that reflect a white default, which can reinforce
stereotypes.
Perception and Normalization: This concept suggests that
whiteness is treated as a "litmus test" for normal, with other races
often defined by their difference from this norm.
The Power Dynamics: Critics analyze this phenomenon to
understand how power structures and cultural biases are upheld, often
highlighting how it marginalizes other experiences.
Countermeasures: Many are actively working to break this
pattern by ensuring diverse representation in literature and avoiding the
assumption that unspecified characters are white.
**** Excerpt Of Wikipedia Article About Racial Color Blindness From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racial_color_blindness "Racial color blindness refers to the belief that a person's
race or ethnicity should not influence their legal or social treatment in
society.
The multicultural psychology field generates four beliefs
that constitute the racial color-blindness approach. The four beliefs are as
follows: (1) skin color is superficial and irrelevant to the quality of a
person's character, ability or worthiness, (2) in a merit-based society, skin
color is irrelevant to merit judgments and calculation of fairness, (3) as a
corollary, in a merit-based society, merit and fairness are flawed if skin
color is taken into the calculation, (4) ignoring skin color when interacting
with people is the best way to avoid racial discrimination.[1]
The term metaphorically references the medical phenomenon of
color blindness. Psychologists and sociologists also study racial color
blindness. This is further divided into two dimensions, color evasion and power
evasion. Color evasion is the belief that people should not be treated
differently on the basis of their color. Power evasion posits that systemic
advantage based on color should have no influence on what people can
accomplish, and accomplishments are instead based solely on one's own work performance.[2]
At various times in Western history, this term has been used
to signal a desired or allegedly achieved state of freedom from racial
prejudice or a desire that policies and laws should not consider race.
Proponents of racial color blindness often assert that policies that
differentiate by racial classification could tend to create, perpetuate or
exacerbate racial divisiveness. Critics often believe it fails to address
systemic discrimination.[3][4][5]"...
**** ADDENDUM #3 - "GREAT BIG HOUSE IN NEW ORLEANS" PLAY PARTY SONGS AND WHITE DEFAULT, COLOR BLINDNESS, AND THE PLAY PARTY SONG
Most online examples of the play party song "Great Big
House In New Orleans", the lyrics refer to "every room that I been
in/filled with pumpkin pie."
The replacement of the words "chicken pie" with pumpkin pie" may seem an innocuous way of substituting something familiar for something that is unfamiliar. But terms that are familiar in one population may be unfamiliar in another population.
That substitution effectively "White-wash" that play party/folk song because-generally speaking- pumpkin pie is much more familiar to White people than Black Americans and the opposite is true for Black Americans.
"Pumpkin pie" is largely a dessert that White
Americans and may be unfamiliar to Black Americans who are much more familiar with
the similar looking, but different tasting "sweet potato pie". The opposite is true for White Americans.
"If you grew up in the northern United States, it’s
likely you associate pumpkin pie with Thanksgiving. But travel south of the
Mason-Dixon Line, and another orange-colored pie reigns supreme on the holiday
table – sweet potato pie.
Historically, pumpkins don’t grow well in the Southern heat.
But that’s not the only reason for the absence of pumpkin pie. Thanksgiving was
originally perceived as a holiday forced on the South by the victorious North
after the Civil War. The arrival of pumpkins was just another pie in the face.
There’s more to the story. Sweet potatoes are also central
to Black Southern cuisine; they’re tied up in the history of the slave trade,
the yam, and plantation cooks.
[...]
Maia Harrell, who grew up in Georgia, is a self-described
pie nerd. She started working in a pie shop in high school, studied the history
of Black women and pie-making in graduate school, and then launched her own
business, Lord of the Pies.
Today, she makes more than 100 pies a week and sells them at
farmers markets around Atlanta. Ms. Harrell, whose family traditions lean more
toward cake, didn’t even have her first piece of pumpkin pie until she worked
in the pie shop. She found it bland.
“I was raised with ... ‘Black folk don’t eat pumpkin pie’
kind of thing,” she says. “If it’s an orange pie, it’s always sweet potato.”
[...]
Even more surprising, she says, are her white customers who
have never seen a sweet potato pie before. “I got a lot of questions like ...
‘Is it sweet?’ ‘Is it savory?’ I’ve never had to explain to somebody what a
sweet potato pie is!” Without fail, she adds, they grew up in the North."...
-end of quote- The replacement of the words "chicken pie" with "pumpkin pie" also erases important elements of pre-emancipation American history and culture, particularly with regards to the history of the scarcity of food for enslaved African Americans. African American originated songs about "chicken pie" reveal how that population coped with food scarcity by baking chicken pies that would last for several meals. The lyrics to some of those songs that referred to "chicken pie" revealed their desire for food and a life when they wouldn't have to worry about being hungry.
Read this excerpt from https://matadornetwork.com/read/classic-southern-pies. Why
pie flourishes in the South [no author or publishing date given] "So many of the most iconic pies in the country have Southern
roots: sweet potato in North Carolina and Alabama, pecan in Oklahoma and Texas,
key lime in Florida, and coconut cream in South Carolina. Other styles have
barely caught on in the rest of the country and remain Southern secrets deeply
rooted in the region’s culinary culture…
A history of Southern pie would not be complete without
mentioning its ties to slavery. This is especially true for enslaved women, who
were responsible for all of the cooking in the homes of wealthy white families.
Slaves might also be responsible for popularizing another favorite Southern
pie: sweet potato pie. Antebellum cookbooks are packed with recipes for this
Southern favorite, but slaves likely cooked most of these pies in plantation
houses. Sweet potato pie rarely appeared in their own homes until stoves became
more affordable, according to food writer and historian Adrian Miller.
After the Civil War, many recipes were adapted during times
of food scarcity. NPR reports that one 1863 recipe details how to make an apple
pie without apples. In a story for The Washington Post, writer and pastry chef
Lisa Donovan explains that a freed slave who made a living selling pies in 19th
century Alabama might be responsible for one of the first ever chess pies. In
1881, a former slave named Abby Fisher published her remarkable cookbook, What
Mrs. Fisher Knows About Southern Cooking, which features recipes for custard
pie (similar to chess pie), as well as sweet potato pie. Chess pie is another
pie that grew out of need — it replaces citrus with vinegar and fresh milk with
buttermilk.
Burdett of Crook’s Corner thinks that creating meals, not
just pie, with easily obtainable and inexpensive ingredients is an essential
piece of Southern cuisine.
“With most food when you’re in the South, when you’re broke
you just kind of pull ingredients, and that’s where new things develop and
that’s how Southern cuisine stays alive,” Burdett says. “My grandmother just
made what she had available, and those dishes morphed into something amazing.
That’s just ‘what’s in the kitchen’ kind of cooking. Being broke and not having
any money and trying to cook for a family.”...
**** This concludes Part II of this pancocojams series.
