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Markers of Distinction

Mahalia Jackson
1911–1972
Gospel singer

One of thousands of black Southerners to move north
during the Great Migration, Mahalia Jackson arrived in
Chicago in 1927, bringing with her the rich tradition of
New Orleans gospel and blues. Although raised a
Baptist, she was heavily influenced by the spirited
music of the Sanctified church next door to her home
and by the secular sounds of Ma Rainey and Bessie
Smith.


In 1928, Jackson became a member of the Johnson Gospel Singers, one of the first professional gospel groups in America. Refusing to sing in nightclubs, she started her own businesses, Mahalia’s Beauty Salon and Mahalia’s House of Flowers. In the 1930s, she began a long association with composer Thomas A. Dorsey that catapulted her into gospel music stardom. Her 1947 recording of “Move on Up a Little Higher” became the first top-selling gospel song, earning her the title “Queen of Gospel Music.”

Jackson’s personal style and powerful performance technique carried her to stardom while at the same time raising the status of gospel music in the United States. Her ability to evoke deep emotion with her warm contralto voice attracted wide praise. In 1961, she sang at President John F. Kennedy’s inaugural ball, and her solo performance set the tone at the March on Washington for civil rights in 1963.

Mahalia Jackson bought the house at 8358 South Indiana Avenue in 1956. Although her recordings sold millions of copies and she performed for presidents, prime ministers and royalty, she remained a sincere and affable person, surprised and touched by the breadth of her success. In her words, “I love singing. Period.”