"This Little Light of Mine" is a gospel song that came to be an anthem of the civil rights
movement in the 1950's and 60's.
Some say the song is a traditional African-American spritual, some say the song was written by Harry Dixon Loes in the 1920's, but no documented proof of that has emerged till now.
In 1934 John and Alan Lomax were in Huntsville, Texas.
In the State Penitentiary they recorded Jim Boyd, singing "This Little Light Of Mine"
5 years later the Lomaxes returned to Huntville to record Doris McMurray singing "This Little Light O' Mine".
(c) Doris McMurray (1939) (as "This Little Light O' Mine")
Recorded May 14, 1939 in Huntsville, Texas by John A. and Ruby Lomax.
Listen here: memory.loc.gov/afc/afcss39/264/2648b1.mp3
Or here:
(c) W. Emmons and Mount Olive Soul Stirrers (1950) (as "This Little Light Of Mine")
Released on Fortune 1318
Listen here:
(c) The St. Paul Church Choir of Los Angeles (1950)
(as "This Little Light Of Mine (I'm Going To Let It Shine)")
Recorded around May 1950.
Matrix 6026
Released on Capitol C.1069
Listen here:
(c) Helen McAlerney Barth And Al Smith (1951) (as "This Little Light Of Mine")
Listen here:
(c) The Ward Singers (1952) (as "This Little Light Of Mine")
Gertrude Ward, Clara Ward, Henrietta Waddy, Marion Williams, Willa Ward Moultrie and others.
Recorded May 7, 1952
Released on Savoy 4038
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In 1955 the song has also been secularised into "This Little Girl of Mine" as recorded by Ray Charles and later The Everly Brothers.
(c) Ray Charles (1955) (as "This Little Girl Of Mine")
Listen here:
(c) Everly Brothers (1958) (as "This Little Girl Of Mine")
Listen here:
(c) Bob Gibson (1958) (as "This Little Light")
His arrangement was more Dixieland style with a fast 2/4 beat.
Around 1955, during the Civil Rights Movement, Zilphia Horton adapted the song and taught it to Pete Seeger and other activists at Highlander Folk School
(c) Pete Seeger (1962) (as "This Little Light Of Mine")
Recorded in 1960 live at the Village Gate, NY
SEE ALS: FW02451.pdf
Listen here:
(c) The Montgomery Gospel Trio, The Nashville Quartet, and Guy Carawan (1961)
(as "This Little Light Of Mine")
Recorded in 1961 and released on Folkways Records FH 5591
SEE ALSO: FW05591.pdf
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The song is also famously tied to Civil Rights leader, Fannie Lou Hamer. In 1962, while being detained by police on her way back from attempting to register to vote with other members of her community, she began singing this song.
On an album with field recordings from 1963, she also sang "This Little Light Of Mine".
(c) Fannie Lou Hamer (1963) (as "This Little Light Of Mine")
SEE ALSO: SFW40216.pdf
Listen here:
(c) Betty Mae Fikes (1963) (as "This Little Light Of Mine")
Recorded October 1963 in Selma, AL
SEE ALSO: SFW40084.pdf
Listen to a sample here: smithsonian_folkways/SFW40084/SFW40084_1_02.mp3
(c) Dionne Warwick (1965) (as "This Little Light")
Listen here:
(c) Odetta (2005) (as "This Little Light Of Mine")
Listen here:
(c) Bruce Springsteen (2006) (as "This Little Light Of Mine")
Watch it here:
(c) Roger McGuinn (2007) (as "This Little Light Of Mine")
Roger McGuinn first heard it performed by Bob Gibson on the 5-string banjo at the Latin School of Chicago in 1957.
Listen here: folkden/php/music/This_Little_Light_Of_Mine.mp3
(c) Joss Stone and Buick Audra (2009) (as "This Little Light Of Mine")
Listen here:
In 2010 LZ7 took their version of the song named "This Little Light" to number 26 in the UK Singles Chart.
Listen here:
More versions here;
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