Skip navigation links and go to page title -

~ Axe Home - Library Help - Search - Databases - Catalog ~

Eva Jessye "My Spirituals"

Eva Jessye won critical acclaim for her collection of My Spirituals, published in 1927. The renowned Paul Robeson was among those who congratulated Jessye. In a personal note, Robeson indicated two of her arrangements would be used in his future performances.

In My Spirituals Jessye wrote, "'On Jerdon's Stormy Bank I Stand' is a baptismal song common to all sections of the country but in this particular locality, [the Verdigris River in southeast Kansas] 'March Down to Jerdon,' was just as often used. It would be sung while two deacons escorted the candidates down to the waiting elder. He, in turn had been preceded by a brother who carried a stick with which to locate the proper depth in the river. Every true convert was expected to show the power of the spirit as he came back to shore and the swaying congregation was keenly disappointed if there was no hysterical display of emotion. More than that. The conversion of the individual who failed to shout was seriously doubted and he was very often spoken of as having gone in a 'dry devil' and come out 'a wet one.'"

Selected Photographs:

• Title page from My Spirituals
• March Down to Jerdon [page 1.] and March Down to Jerdon [page 2.], taken from My Spirituals and mentioned in the note from Robeson.
• Note to Jessye from Paul Robeson, congratulations on My Spirituals, etc.
• Photograph of Paul Robeson inscribed to Jessye

Last Modified: Feb 22, 2007 - 16:51
http://library.pittstate.edu/spcoll/myspirituals.html