Southern University Gospel Choir's Church Processional While Singing "We Are On Our Way" (with comments about the custom of choirs marching while raising your right hand)

Southern University Gospel Choir, May 31, 2022  #HBCU #SU #SUGC

Here’s #SUGC’s Processional at our Spring 22’ Good Ole Days - Throwback Concert back in April, Singing “The Lord Is In His Holy Temple” & The James Cleveland Classic “We Are On Our away” 💛💙
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From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_University
"Southern University and A&M College (Southern University, Southern, SUBR or SU) is a public historically black land-grant university in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States. It is the largest historically black college or university (HBCU) in Louisiana."...

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The song ”We Are On Our Way" begins around 2:11 in this YouTube video.

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Edited by Azizi Powell

This is Part II of a four part pancocojams series about the Gospel song "We Are On Our Way". This Gospel song is also known as "On Our Way".

This post showcases a YouTube video of the song "We Are On Our Way" being sung by Southern University Gospel Choir during one of their church processions. Facebook comments about Southern University Gospel Choir's rendition are also included in this post. Some of those comments include the standard lyrics for that Gospel song (as popularized by the Gospel Music Workshop Of America. Some other comments in this discussion explain why the choir members hold their right hand up while they are marching into the church.

The Addendum to this post presents some information about the custom of some African American church choirs of marching into the church service with their right hand raised and their left hand held behind their back.

The Addendum to this post presents some information about the custom of some African American church choirs of marching into the church service with their right hand raised and their left hand held behind their back..

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2026/01/video-of-information-about-we-are-on.html for Part I of this pancocojams series. That post showcases a YouTube video of the Los Angeles Chapter Of  the Gospel Music Workshop Of America (GMWA) singing that chapter's (and later the entire organization's) anthem "We Are On Our Way". This post presents some information about Rev. James Cleveland and some information bout The Gospel Music Workshop of America that he founded. In addition, this post presents the introductory words and some of the lyrics to that rendition of the song "We Are On Our Way". 

Click ___ for Part III of this pancocojams series. That post showcases a YouTube video of the Gospel song "We Are On Our Way" that has been popularized by the Gospel Music Workshop of America. This post also presents some some comments about possible composers for this song.

Click _- for Part IV of this pancocojams series. That post presents a time line of some late 19th century & early 20th century hymns that include the words "endless days" or "fadeless days" that are found in the Gospel song  "We Are On Our Way" that has been popularized by the Gospel Music Workshop Of America.

The content of this post is presented for religious, historical, cultural, informational, and aesthetic purposes,

 All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to the composer* of the Gospel song "We Are On Are Way". Thanks to Rev. James Cleveland who arranged and is responsible for publicizing the Gospel version of this song. Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publisher of this video on YouTube.
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*This song is categorized as "traditional" because its composer is considered to be unknown.

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SELECTED COMMENTS ABOUT THIS GOSPEL SONG
From
Numbers are added for referencing purposes only.

[Pancocojams Editor's Note: This Facebook discussion thread was first published in March 28, 2025. That discussion thread has 188 comments as of January 2, 2026.]  

from https://www.facebook.com/gmwanational/videos/the-southern-university-gospel-choir-doesnt-it-give-you-chills/3904443446486058/ "The Southern University Gospel Choir! Doesn’t it give you chills!!!?" published by GMWA National, March 28, 2025

All of these comments were published in April & May 2025

1. Karen Mirant
"Southern University, y'all need to speed it up a bit!! 🎼🎹🥁🎸"

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Reply
2. Dante Jones
"Karen Mirant I was thinking the same thing!"

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3. Jackie Dsmith
"Karen Mirant no"

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4. Michael Angelo Taylor
"Karen Mirant you don't get it, and that's fine. Nevertheless, Matthew 16:23...we see you 🤨"

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5. Ronald George Baltimore
"Karen Mirant it's the perfect speed"

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6. Elaine Sparks
"Karen Mirant no"

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7. Karen Yvette Jones
"Karen Mirant every one’s interpretation is going to be different from what you are used to singing sweetheart!

They will follow their directors interpretation and how the Holy Spirit leads them!!"

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8.Karen Mirant
"Karen Yvette Jones,

All I'm saying is as a College Gospel Choir they're singing in a too slow tempo! Just pick it up!! 🤣🤣"

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7. Beverly Reed
"They are singing WE ARE ON OUR WAY written by my deceased brother GENE Dukes of PHILADELPHIA, he wrote this songs years, it's been featured in a few movies, I know my brother this song when I was a teenager, my family has the copyright to this song. The late James Cleveland claimed he wrote it, but Dukes Family of Philadelphia knows the Truth!!!! 🙏 🙏 🙏"

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8. Dante Jones
"Beverly Reed wrong, didn't say he wrote it. He just used it as the processional for the Southern California Community Choir, Cornerstone Institutional Baptist Church Choir's and the Los Angeles Chapter of GMWA Mass Choir's, we've known all along the song came from Philadelphia PA, because his daughter's mother and a portion of her family is from Philadelphia also

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9. Friendship Missionary Baptist Church
"What are they saying.. to a what??"

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10. Melvin Raines
"Friendship Missionary Baptist Church they are saying We are on our way to a land of endless days"

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11. Dante Jones
"This reminds me of Cornerstone Institutional Baptist Church of LA California, Rev. James Cleveland, Pastor founder!"

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12. Karen Mirant
"Dante Jones, Or Southern California Community Choir!! 😉😉"

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13. Farris Dwayne Davidson
"Dante Jones yes indeed"

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14. Albert Alvarado
"Dante Jones Iam up north Oakland. They would take us All the way In. Miss R. Preston playing the piano 😻"

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15. Ramon Perry
"Dante Jones 1978 I visited Cornerstone in LA. They marched in on this. I’ll never forget it."

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16. Dante Jones
"Ramon Perry it's the only song we've ever marched in singing."

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17. Melvin Raines
"Burnett Baptist Church Of Detroit Michigan All Day Long 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥"

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18. Bryan BG Gathright
"Friendship Missionary Baptist Church

This version was originally recorded by Rev James Cleveland and the Southern California Community Choir.

It was re-recorded on the Aretha Franklin Amazing Grace album.

We are on our way

To a land of endless day

We are on our way

We're on our journey

Oh yes"

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19. Steven Bryan
Friendship Missionary Baptist Church to a land of fadeless day"

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20. Sebastian Cravor Shipp
"Friendship Missionary Baptist Church We are on our way

To a land of fadeless day

We are on our way

We are on our way

We're on our journey home"

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21. Cassandra Belgrave
"Friendship Missionary Baptist Church Exactly!"

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22. Carolyn Howard
"Friendship Missionary Baptist Church have no idea what they’re singing!"

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23. Ricki Seymour
"Friendship Missionary Baptist Church I can barely understand what they’re saying also. The music might be a little bit too loud"

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24. Scott Cumberbatch
"Friendship Missionary Baptist Church “to a land of FAIREST day…”, though it should be “ENDLESS day”."

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25.Mabel Mitchell
"Sing it church"

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26. Rhonda Ramsey
"Gives me chills and tears! Remembering the Cornerstone choir singing this Rev James Cleveland song.❣️ Those were good times. ❤️ The sopranos nailed it!!"

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27. DeAngelo Wicker
"I miss the march in at my home church times have changed so much we don't do it anymore!! Love this and that's my song too sang yall"

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28. Melissa Sheppard
"Why do they have their hands up?"

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29. Ernest Bowman
"Melissa Sheppard It’s a sacred tradition passed down through generations—especially common in many Midwest churches. The raised right hand symbolizes surrender, spiritual readiness, and reverence—like saying “Yes, Lord” before a single note is sung. We brought it back at our throwback concert to honor those roots. In gospel, even the walk in is ministry."

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30. Mike Thomas
"I remember rocking in like this for our choir anniversary years ago. I miss those days."

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31. Myesha Morris
"SANG! YES LORD!"

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32. Freeman Palmer
"Sing choir!"

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33. Victoria D. Jones
"Yes bring the choir back.. and march in every Sabbath!"

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34. Dcenter Keepinthefaith
"When I was young, I remember our church choir marching from the the front doors of the church behind us to the choir stand. Amen which I could have heard the whole song 🎵 🙌🏾"

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35. Ernest Bowman
"For everyone asking about why we elevate our hands, It’s a sacred tradition passed down through generations—especially common in many Midwest churches. The raised right hand symbolizes surrender, spiritual readiness, and reverence—like saying “Yes, Lord” before a single note is sung. We brought it back at our throwback concert to honor those roots. In gospel, even the walk in is ministry!

Follow us at Southern University Gospel Choir"

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36. Rafe Collins Jr
"Thank you Jesus!! Whew people don’t sing like this anymore"

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37. Vidilia Kinsey
"I played this song the other day! They don't sing these songs like that anymore!"

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38. Gregory Brown
"Memories!!

We used to March in to that song on Sunday nights!!!"

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39. Teha Miri Parks
"Do choirs march in anymore? Do the choirs of today even wear choir robes anymore?"

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40. Elaine Sparks
"Miri Johnson yes they are coming back❤️"

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41. Evangelist Denise Cooper
"Miri Johnson no"

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42. Jackie Dsmith
"Miri Johnson no now worship teams"

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43. De'Mario Armstrong
"This give you 100% Father Hayes and Cosmopolitan Choir! They marched in with their hand up every Sunday"

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44. Sterling S. Earley
"This may be a silly question..... what is the point of holding the one hand up?

Not intented for being disrespectful at all, just trying to get understanding, so please keep the sarcastic and disrespect."

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45. Rodney L Howard
"Sterling S. Earley i have asked that myself...can anyone explain"

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46. Joy Yomo
"Back when the Churches would Start DEVOTION WITH THE DEACON'S /PRAYER . THEN THE CHURCH CHOIR WOULD MARCH UP TO THE CHOIR SEATING AREA. AMEN!"

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47. Michael Orr
"C,mon Church Sang it !!!!!!!! I love the choir Robes and U guys can Sing !!!!!! I love it!! YES LORD !!!!"

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48. Anna Hunt
"❤️YEP that was the march with the one hand up .I remember this in the sixties ."

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47. Jacqueline Hardy
"We needed to see the entire 7 minute processional!! 🥰 💙🎶💙🎶💙🎶💙"

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48. David Whitehead
"A college choir?????"

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49. Corey Kitchens
"David Whitehead yes SIRRRR!!! An HBCU Gospel Choir!!! That organ has me rocking"

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50. David Whitehead
"Corey Kitchens that soprano note at the end tho!!. It told you, they're Not thru!!!"

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51. Corey Kitchens
"David Whitehead https://youtu.be/m20nCfr4lLQ?si=8BOWm_18P5LgtxO-. This is the YouTube link for We Are On Our Way"

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52. JustSammie Love
"Michael Gause We use to sing this at Craig Memorial. 🙌🏾❤️"

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53. Michael Gause
"JustSammie Love I remember they marched in just like this choir."

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54. Jorel Robinson
"Sing I’m here for the theatrics!"

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55. Dukes Hazard
"Can someone please explain the meaning of marching in with your hand elevated?"

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56. Stacey R. Green
"Looks like my former church Antioch Baptist, San Jose CA"

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57. Lyelle J. Bellard
"Some of yall are miserable human beings!!! Instead of being proud that these are young adults that's lifting up the name of Jesus, you all are critiquing the tempo of the sing ( which is the tempo every time I heard it)."

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58. Yolanda Cobin
"We are on our way, to the land of fadeless day, we are on our way, we on our journey home.

When we get to glory , we will tell the story , of how we made it over. We’re on our journey home"

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59. Ellis Anthony
"Musical excellence! Sounds just like the phenomenal and highly spiritual choirs of the 1950s and '60s."

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60. Dr Lillian Williams Sharon Wilson Joyce Williams Donna Ward
"Sang choir"

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61.Christopher GawdFatha Lee
"Alright SU"

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62. Needa Jax
"Saaaang children".

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ADDENDUM- INFORMATION ABOUT THE CUSTOM OF CHOIR MEMBERS MARCHING INTO THE CHURCH SERVICE WITH THEIR RIGHT HAND RAISED AND THEIR LEFT HAND HELD BEHIND THEIR BACK

These comments were previously quoted in the February 2014 pancocojams post https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/02/old-school-black-church-choir-march-st.html "Black Choir Processions - Videos Of Marching With The Right Hand Held Up

Selected comments from the discussion thread for https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBuz-zRVGb0

St. James Adult Choir - How I Got Over"



published by Marcel West, July 26, 2008

[Numbers added for referencing purposes only.]

1. gospelbird22, 2008
"In the old days, the custom of raising your right hand while you entered a church or marched in came from Elder Lucy Smith's Pentecostal Church. It was a sign that you had accepted Christ and were saved, as opposed to being a spectator or visitor."

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2.  VantisDoroHall, 2008
in reply to gospelbird22
"Also, at First Church in Chicago, it represented placing your hand in God's hand, in reverence and humility. By the way, First Church and Elder Smith's church historically were two of the first churches of color to broadcast over the radio in Chicago"

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3.Joantaatlanta, 2009
"Nice Video, why do they march in with their hands up? What does it symbolize?"*

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4. DrSTW4 years, 2009
in reply to Joantaatlanta
"That's a old school thing. That means an elevated heart and hand to Christ. It's like at the end of service when you raise your hand for the benediction. The left hand behind you is what the ushers tend to do called service position."

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5. carefulopenandfree, 2009
"growing up in my church, we had to raise our hand when we left or entered the sanctuary"

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6. momohojoman, 2009
"in african american churches in the 20's thru 60's raising the right hand was a tradition all over america. this church still upheld the tradition into the 80's. you still see it in some african american churches today. whenever you had to enter or leave during service you had to raise your right hand while walking. my mother and grandmother got all over me for not doing it one sunday when i had to go to the bathroom during service. the other church members told them and boy did i here from them"

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7. momohojoman, 2009
"raising the right hand to enter or leave service while it is in session is an african american tradition. it symbolizes respect ,permission an honoring the creator"

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8.  schs19947, 2010
in reply to Joantaatlanta
"@Joantaatlanta just a symbol of the faith and part of their choir march...every choir is different...some jus march with hands to the side or with their hands behind their back."

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This concludes Part II of this pancocojams series.

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