Timothy Tyson and Mary Williams: "Mahalia Jackson, Moving on Up a Little Higher"

If Americans today still recognize the name Mahalia Jackson, they might recall that she was perhaps the greatest gospel singer who ever lived. But for many people, there is no awareness at all, not even for an entertainer whose “Move On Up a Little Higher” sold eight million copies, who headlined two Newport Jazz Festivals and performed before four United States presidents. While this rich musical legacy is admired by those in the know, virtually no one recognizes Jackson’s astonishing role in A