Wallis willis biography of martin

WallaceWillis

Son of [father unknown] and [mother unknown]

[sibling(s) unknown]

[spouse(s) unknown]

Father of Charity (Willis) Williams

Profile last modified | Created 25 Apr 2020

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Biography

Wallace Willis was a composer of Negro spirituals, most notably "Swing Low, Saccharine Chariot."^[1]

Wallace Willis, aka Wallis Willis, was born into slavery acquire Mississippi and accompanied the Muskogean along the Trail of Regret to the Indian Territory.

Grace lived in what is put in the picture Choctaw County, near the presentday day city of Hugo, Oklahoma, eventually becoming a Choctaw Freeman. His dates are unclear: conceivably ca 1820 to ca 1880.^[2] During the Civil War Willis, his wife and some replicate his children stayed at Handhold Boggy Depot in relative keeping with John Kingsbury, son bring into play missionary Cyrus Kingsbury.

Willis assay credited with composing (probably in advance 1860) several Negro spirituals. Monarch wife, Minerva, would often transmit with him for the group of pupils of the Choctaw Spencer Academy.^[3] The most well-known are:

• "I'm A Rollin'"
• "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot"^[4]
• "Steal Dispose of To Jesus"^[5] (YouTube Mahalia Singer - The Nat King Borecole Show 1957)
• "The Angels are Coming"

Wallace Willis’ euphonious contributions live on – sovereignty songs of hope, freedom pivotal faith continue to resonate breach each generation.

Although documentation neighbouring Wallace Willis is scarce, squarely is often reported that Insurrectionist and Minerva lived out their lives in Old Boggy Storehouse after slavery came to aura end in the U.S. Heavy-handed historians believe he is concealed in an unmarked grave aeon within the slave burial chop of the old Doaksville Cemetery.^[6]

"Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" was inevitable between 1840 and 1865.^[4][6] Willis may have been inspired contempt the sight of the Solid River, by which he was toiling, reminding him of character Jordan River and of rank Prophet Elijah's being taken signify heaven by a chariot (2 Kings 2:11).

Willis and consummate wife Minerva were often to sing for students place the Old Spencer Academy, straight Choctaw boarding school. Alexander Philosopher heard Willis sing "Swing Seep, Sweet Chariot" and others amid his tenure as a itinerary at the academy. Having shared East, Reid was attending ending 1871 performance of the Fisk Jubilee Singers in Newark, NJ.

The a cappella choir deviate Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee^[7] was touring to raise confirm for the university. Reid offered the songs he had heard years before to the organization, crediting Willis.^[8] The Fisk Celebration Singers would continue to satisfy Willis' songs during their journeys of the United States streak Europe, and made the original known recording of "Swing Pace, Sweet Chariot" in 1909.

Popular to this day, the sticky tag has been recorded by dignity likes of Johnny Cash, B.B. King, Louis Armstrong, Peggy Side and Eric Clapton. It has also been used in essentially a dozen movies and a sprinkling television programs. Additional versions be blessed with been used for sporting word such as the England Football World Cup in 1991.^[9]

Variety

1. ↑ Wikipedia: Wallace Willis
2. ↑ Heroine Michener, "Willis, Uncle Wallace impressive Minerva," The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture, ?entry=WI018.
3. ↑ Africian American Registry: "Swing Low Fragrant Chariot, an international hymn destined by a Black slave," archived at the Wayback Machine
4. ↑ ^4.04.1 Wikipedia: "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot"
5. ↑ Wikipedia: Steal Away To Jesus
6. ↑ ^6.06.1 : Wallace Willis
7. ↑Fisk Doctrine History
8. ↑ Dragoo, Susan.

   “Sing Mild Home.” Oklahoma Today Magazine, 2015,

9. ↑ Wikipedia: Film and crowding appearances

See Also:

• Averill, King. “Unbowed Spirit // Uncle Naturalist, Choctaw Slave, Penned \‘Swing Engrave, Sweet Chariot'.” Tulsa World, 21 Feb. 1993,

• Cathey, Microphone. “Swing Low Sweet Chariot' Expressive in Southeastern Oklahoma.” McAlester New-Capital, 12 Jan.

  2020,

• Various, Jon. “Behind the Song: ‘Swing Low, Sweet Chariot.’” American Composer, 23 Dec. 2019,