[Ads-l] Antedating of "We Shall Overcome"

[Shapiro, Fred]

Wow, this is a pretty significant discovery by Bill Mullins.  The Black gospel songwriter Charles A. Tindley wrote a song titled "I''ll Overcome Some Day" in 1901.  In 1946 a Black organizer named Lucille Simmons introduced a labor song titled "We Will Overcome" with similar lyrics.  The great folksinger and political activist Pete Seeger was then credited with making the small but crucial adjustment of changing the word "will" to "shall" and with the title "We Shall Overcome" the song became the most important protest song of all time.  The "shall" change has been a notable part of Seeger's legacy.

Now Bill has found that Tindley had already come up with "shall" by 1902, and also at that time come up with "we" rather than "I."  I am forwarding his discovery to the Oxford English Dictionary and the Oxford Dictionary of African American English, of course giving full credit to Bill.

Fred Shapiro


________________________________
From: American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU> on behalf of Bill Mullins <amcombill at HOTMAIL.COM>
Sent: Sunday, December 7, 2025 2:29 AM
To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
Subject: Antedating of "We Shall Overcome"

. . . and I posted this without yet seeing Fred's follow-up.

Sigh.

________________________________
From: Bill Mullins <amcombill at hotmail.com>
Sent: Sunday, December 7, 2025 1:18 AM
To: American Dialect Society <ads-l at listserv.uga.edu>
Subject: Antedating of "We Shall Overcome"

1902 The News Journal  11 Jan 3/3

After the delicacies of the season had been served, the Rev. C. A. Tindley sang "We Shall Overcome Some Day," and thanked Miss Johnson in behalf of the managers for their kindness in remembering the aged of the race.

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There is a recording of the song in 1952 by the Jewish Young  Folk Singers with the "We Shall . . ." title.

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1952 Washington Afro American 23 Aug 18/2

The reverse side features the Jewish Young Folk-Singers, conducted by Bob DeCormier, in a moving presentation of the spiritual, "We Shall Overcome," with Miss Duncan as featured soloist with the chorus.

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