Edited by Azizi Powell
This post is Part I of a two part pancocojams series on the early African American Gospel* song "Sit At The Welcome Table".
This post consist of selected comments about the origin and meaning of "Sit At The Welcome Table" from several discussion threads on the online Mudcat folk music forum.
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2025/11/religious-or-civil-rights-versions-of.html of this pancocojams series. That post showcases a few YouTube sound files and videos of African American singing "Sit At The Welcome Table" and a few other Gospel songs such as "I'm Goin' Down To The River Of Jordan" and "Somewhere Around God's Throne". Renditions of those songs often include a "sit at the welcome table" verse. That post also includes a YouTube sound file of a Civil Rights version of "Sit At The Welcome Table".
The content of this post is presented for historical, socio-cultural, and religious purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to the unknown composers of "Sit At The Welcome Table" and the earlier African American Spirituals that inspired the composition of the "Sit At The Welcome Table" verses and songs. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post.
-snip-
*I prefer to categorize "Sit At The Welcome Table" as an early Gospel song. However, I have no problem with other people categorizing it as a Spiritual. Part of the confusion in determining if "Sit At The Welcome Table" is an African American Spiritual or is an early African American Gospel song is that the line "I'm gonna sit at the welcome table" appears to have been sung as part of some Spirituals. However, renditions of this song that focus on sitting at the Welcome Table" may not have been documented until the early 20th century.
The song "Sit At The Welcome Table" has many similar characteristics as African American Spirituals. For instance, Spirituals were composed in the 19th century and have no known composers. In contrast, most African American Gospel songs have known composers. However, it doesn't appear that "Sit At The Welcome Table" has a known composer. Also, ass is the case with African American Spirituals and with most African American Gospel songs, there are no fixed lyrics for renditions of "Sit At The Welcome Table".
Some adaptations of "Sit At The Welcome Table" were also composed and sung as Civil Rights songs in the 1960s. Those adaptations usually included a verse about "sit ins" at Woolworth lunch counters where African Americans at that time were routinely refused service. The protest strategies was that African Americans (usually students at universities in the South) would sit at the counter therefore taking a seat that couldn't then be occupied by a White person. Those sit in demonstrators were usually arrested for these actions.
****
SELECTED COMMENTS FROM SEVERAL MUDCAT FORUM DISCUSSION THREADS ON THE SONG "SIT AT THE WELCOME TABLE"
This post presents selected comments from a Mudcat folk music discussion thread about the song “Sit At The Welcome Table”. These comments are a compilation of several Mudcat discussion threads on that subject -Notice the discussion name that is given in the subject title for each comment. However, these comments were presented in chronological order in that Mudcat discussion thread and they are presented in chronological order in this pancocojams post.
I assigned numbers to these comments for referencing purposes only. These numbers don't necessarily correspond with where those comments are given in that Mudcat discussion thread.
Full disclosure- I wrote a few of those comments.
These Mudcat comments are given "as is", including spelling errors and dialectic words.
Readers should be aware that the in the 21st century the use of so-called "Negro dialect" is widely considered to be offensive.
https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=93754
From: CET
Date: 11 Aug 06 - 10:00 PM
I'm going to climb up Jacob's ladder,
I'm going to climb up Jacob's ladder one of these days
Alleluja
I'm going to climb up Jacob's ladder,
I'm going to climb up Jacob's ladder one of these days.
The first line changes in each verse, e.g. "I'm going
to climb up higher and higher", "I'm going to sit at the welcome
table", etc.
It was collected in a school for black children (possibly orphanage - it's five to ten on Friday night and I'm too lazy to look it up). It definitely has a southern gospel ring to it. Does anybody know other versions of this song? Did it originate in the U.S?"
2.
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 11 Aug 06 - 11:24 PM
In the Cleveland Index of Spirituals, it is catalogued under the name "Some of These Days," which is the title in Grissom, "Negro Sings a New Heaven," and "Some o' Dese Days," Johnson, "Green Pastures Spirituals." Also known as "I'm Goin' Down to de Ribber ob Jerden," in Ballanta-Taylor, "Saint Helena Island Spirituals."
Down to the River of Jordan
As sung by Ollie Gilbert, Arkansas, The Max Hunter Folk
Collection, the welcome table appears in the 4th verse:
1. I'm a goin' down the river of Jordan
O yes, I'm goin' down to the river of Jordan
Some of these days, hallaluia
I'm goin' down to the river of Jordan (2x)
Some of these days.
2. I'm a gonna set down by my Jesus
O yes, I'm goin' down to the river of Jordan
Some of these days, hallaluia
I'm a gonna set down by my Jesus (2x)
Some of these days.
3. I'm a gonna sing in the Heavenly choir
O yes, I'm a gonna sing in the Heavenly choir
Some of these days, hallaluia
I'm a gonna sing, the Heavenly choir (2x)
Some of these days.
4. I'm a gonna eat at the welcome table
O yes, I'm gonna eat at the welcome table
Some of these days, hallaluia
I'm gonna eat at the welcome table (2x)
Some of these days."...
3.
From: Azizi
Date: 12 Aug 06 - 08:14 AM
"... The Welcome Table, honored in the Jewish tradition by the Seder table at which one seat is left empty for Elijah, or for the stranger. Modeled in the Christian tradition by Jesus' radical table fellowship with sinners and prostitutes. Sung of in the African American tradition as the future reign of justice and freedom."
Welcome Table Theology A Sermon by the Reverend Phyllis L.
Hubbell; The First Unitarian Church of Baltimore' Founders' Day, February 8,
2004
[...]
For what its worth, although I vaguely remember the line "I'm gonna sit at the welcome table" being sung as part of some spiritual or another, I never known there to be an actual "welcome table" at any African American church that I have attended.
However, there is an 'altar table" which sits down below pulpit where the minister[s] sit [in many Black Baptist churches, the choir sits directly behind the minister]. One welcoming tradition that I remember occuring in my childhppd and which still occurs during the formal church service at my Black Baptist church are "Welcoming visitors". This occurs before the minister preaches [also known as the minister 'giving the sermon'] is that visitors are asked to stand and state their name and where they are from. The Church Clerk [or another designated church officer or member then formally welcomes those persons to the church.
Another church welcoming tradition is "extending the right hand of fellowship". This tradition occurs after the sermon but before the church service officially ends. When the minister says 'Let us extend the right hand of fellowship", for a brief time, the congregation-including the choir-stand and greet those who had been sitted near them [in their row, and in the next row in front of and behind them]. People warmly greet each other with a handshake, a hug, and brief words. Some people go across the aisle to do extend the right hand of fellowship, but in my experience, during this time most people only greet those formathis is usually limited to greeting those persons who are standing near you. Thanks to google, I found out that there's a biblical origin for this tradition:
"After his [Paul's] meeting with the highly esteemed
leaders of the Christian community on Jerusalem in which he set before them the
Gospel he preached among the Gentiles, he stated that these leaders "gave
me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace
given to me" (cf. Galatians
2:1-10).http://spiritualoasis.wordpress.com/2006/06/28/the-right-hand-of-fellowship/
In churhes I have attended, after the church service ends, the church sometimes serves 'dinner' or 'repast' {a repast is usually less food than that served at the 'dinner'}. There's a head table reserved for the minister & his wife and his invited guests. But the 'head table' is entirely different from the 'welcome table' mentioned in spirituals. Maybe the 'altar table' is closer to the traditional meaning of the 'welcome table'.
Finally, when singing the line "sit at the welcome table", I think it's important to remember the context under which enslaved African Americans composed the songs which included these lines. Food was scarce, and African Americans were definitely not welcomed in many settings. The line 'sit at the welcome table' "flips the script"
{to use a hip-hop term]. In the imagery of African Americans
who created the spirituals, in heaven, all folks would be welcomed, and all
folks would have lots of food to eat. In my opinion, the belief that in heaven
people who were hungry would have more than enough food to eat is an important
element of that "future reign of justice and freedom" {as quoted in
the excerpt presented above"}."
**
4. Subject: RE: Origins: Gospel song 'The Welcome Table'
From: Azizi
Date: 12 Aug 06 - 08:50 AM
"I found this line "Gwine to sit down at the welcome
table, gwine to feast off milk and honey" in this article: "Negro
Folk Expression: Spirituals, Seculars, Ballads and Work Songs" by by
Sterling Brown."
**
5. Subject: RE: Origins: Gospel song 'The Welcome Table'
From: dick greenhaus
Date: 12 Aug 06 - 09:40 AM
**
6. Subject: Lyr. Add: SOME O' THESE DAYS
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 12 Aug 06 - 12:48 PM
I'm gonna tell God how you treat me, (2x)
Some o' these days. Hallelujah!
I'm gonna tell God how you treat me, (2x)
Some o' these days.
I'm gonna cross thuh river of Jurdun, (2x)
Some o' these days. Hallelujah!
I'm gonna cross thuh river of Jurdun, (2x)
Some o' these days.
I'm gonna drink uv thuh healin' waters (2x)
Some o' these days. Hallelujah!
I'm gonna drink uv the healin' waters, (2x)
Some o' these days.
I'm gonna drink and nevuh get thirsty, (2x)
Some o' these days. Hallelujah!
I'm gonna drink and nevuh get thirsty, (2x)
Some o' these days.
I'm gonna eat off thuh welcome table, (2x)
Some o' these days. Hallelujah!
I'm gonna eat off thuh welcome table, (2x)
Some o' these days.
I'm gonna walk an' talk wid Jesus, (2x)
Some o' these days. Hallelujah!
I'm gonna walk an' talk wid Jesus (2x)
Some o' these days.
I'm gonna ride in thuh charet wid Jesus, (2x)
etc.
I'm gonna shout an' not be weary, (2x)
etc.
You're gonna wish that you'd-a been ready, (2x)
etc.
God's gonna set yo' sins befo' you (2x)
etc.
God's gonna bring this world to judgment (2x)
etc.
With music, pp. 20-21, Grissom, Mary Allen, 1930, "The Negro Sings a New Heaven," Univ. North Carolina Press (Dover reprint, 1969).
This version gives a good idea of the many verses that may be sung with this spiritual.
Dick Greenhaus adds another (The first line of a verse ofen
used as the title)."
**
7. Subject: ADD Version: I'm Gonna Sit at the Welcome Table
From: Azizi
Date: 12 Aug 06 - 01:12 PM
I'm Gonna Sit at the Welcome Table
I'm gonna sit at the welcome table,
I'm gonna sit at the welcome table one of these days,
Hallelujah!
I'm gonna sit at the welcome table,
I'm gonna sit at the welcome table one of these days.
I'm gonna walk the streets of glory,
I'm gonna walk the streets of glory one of these days,
Hallelujah!
I'm gonna walk the streets of glory,
I'm gonna walk the streets of glory one of these days.
I'm gonna get my civil rights,
I'm gonna get my civil rights one of these days,
Hallelujah!
I'm gonna get my civil rights,
I'm gonna get my civil rights one of these days.
I'm gonna sit at the Woolworth counter,
I'm gonna sit at the Woolworth counter one of these days,
Hallelujah!
I'm gonna sit at the Woolworth counter,
I'm gonna sit at the Woolworth counter one of these days.
McComb, Mississippi, Freedom School Play
This song was part of a play written by the students of the
McComb, Mississippi, Freedom School in 1964."
**
8 .Subject: RE: Origins: Gospel song 'The Welcome Table'
From: Azizi
Date: 13 Aug 06 - 09:36 AM
During the Civil Rights demonstrations of the 1960s, many of
the older spirituals were revived. Their repetitive structure again served
impromptu groups of marchers and singers well. And the subject matter of
"I'm On My Way," "Study War No More" and "Welcome
Table" spoke directly to the worldly concerns of the freedom marchers.
Recordings on file by: Brownie McGhee, Various artists"
-snip-
Pancocojams Editor's Note: November 2, 2025. This website is still active. Here's its link: https://www.oldtownschool.org/resourcecenter/songnotes/. The songs are given in alphabetical order. .
**
9. Subject: Lyr. Add:The Welcome Table ( spiritual)
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 26 Feb 10 - 02:49 PM
THE WELCOME TABLE
Spiritual, Carolina Low Country
1
I'm gwine tuh set at duh welcome table,
I'm gwine tuh set at duh welcome table,
Some o' dese days, Hallelujah,
I'm gwine tuh set at duh welcome table,
Gwine tuh set at duh welcome table
Some o' dese days.
2
I'm gwine tuh drink ob duh healin' waters,
I'm gwine tuh drink ob duh healin' waters
Some o' dese days, Hallelujah,
I'm gwine tuh drink ob duh healin' waters,
Gwine tuh drink ob duh healin' waters
Some o' dese days.
3
I'm gwine tuh drink en nebbuh git tu'sty,(1)
I'm gwine tuh drink en nebbuh git tu'sty
Some o' dese days, hallelujah,
I'm gwine tuh drink en nebbuh git tu'sty
Gwine tuh drink en nebbuh git tu'sty
Some o' dese days.
4
I'm gwine tuh eat en nebbuh git hongry,
etc.
5
I'm gwine tuh seddown(2) 'side my Jedus,
etc.
6
I'm gwine tuh ride een duh glycerin' cha'ayut(3)
7
I'm gwine tuh see all duh 'Postles,
etc.
8
I'm gwine tuh see my dear gran'mudduh,
etc.
9
I'm gwine tuh set een duh elbow chair,
etc.
10
I'm gwine tuh rock from side tuh side,
etc.
11
I'm gwine tuh res' from all muh labuh,
etc.
12
I'm gwine tuh rally wid duh Ainjul Gabrull,'etc.
Rendered in the gullah of the Carolina Low Country.
(1)nebbuh git tu'sty- never get thirsty; (2)seddown- sit
down; (3)glycerin cha'ayut- glistening chariot.
With musical score, pp. 298-299, 1931, Augustine T. Smythe
et al.,The Carolina Low Country, spirituals coll. by K. C. Hutson et al.
Society for the Preservation of Spirituals.
The Macmillan Company.
**
10. Subject: RE: Origins: Gospel song 'The Welcome Table'
From: GUEST,Lasse
Date: 10 Aug 11 - 02:46 PM
That seems to indicare that the song indeed was preformed by
the Jubilee Singers.
Does anyone have the lyrics that are listed in Seward's
book?"
**
11.
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 05 Dec 11 - 03:47 PM
Fairly early the verse appeared in several spirituals mostly as a floater, but was not a song in itself in the 19th c. literature."
12.
From: Azizi
Date: 11 Jun 12 - 08:31 AM
[I received this request via email to my website Cocojams.com.]
"We are currently working on an investigation involving what we believe to be the signage that hung above the doors of the Liberty St. Woolworth lunch counter in WInston-Salem North Carolina. Winston-Salem became the first NC city to desegregate its lunch counters (May, 1960).
Your website provides some great information about Civil
Rights and Freedom Songs, and I am particularly interested in obtaining a
recorded version of the song, "I'm Gonna Sit at the Welcome Table,"
featuring the Woolworth-specific lyrics ("I'm Gonna Sit at the Woolworth
Counter"). If you have an idea as to the source for a recorded version, I
would be most grateful to know (as the song would work great for our
piece)"...
-snip-
If you have any information on this request, please post it
here or directly contact ashley.levine at liontv dot us.
Thanks!
Azizi Powell"
-snip-
Pancocojams Editor's Note November 1, 2025-The words "your website" in that query that was directed to me referred to my multi-page website cocojams.com that was active from January 2001 to November 2014 when I voluntarily de-activated it. One of the pages was "Civil Rights and Freedom Songs".
This concludes Part I of this two part pancocojams series.
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
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