Politics
Politics

Good Lord: Georgia lawmakers are recognizing “Kumbaya”

During the month of February, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution will publish a daily feature highlighting African American contributions to our state and nation. Go to www.ajc.com/news/martin-luther-king-jr/ for more subscriber exclusives on people, places, organizations and songs like Kumbaya that have changed the world and to see videos and listen to Spotify playlists on featured African American pioneers. (Edits by Tyson Horne and Ryon Horne / tyson.horne@ajc.com rhorne@ajc.com)
By Kristina Torres
Feb 23, 2017

State lawmakers are not kidding, Lord:

They’re recognizing “Kumbaya” on Thursday as Georgia’s first state historical song.

Senate Resolution 293, sponsored by state Sen. William Ligon, R-Brunswick, seeks to highlight what historians say are the song's roots in the Gullah and Geechee culture on the Sea Islands of Georgia.

Robert Winslow Gordon, who would eventually work for the Library of Congress, had traveled in the 1920's to the islands, living for awhile in the coastal town of Darien. While he was there, local residents gave him permission to record their singing of spiritual folk songs including one called "Come By Here."

A version of that song came to be known as “Kumbaya.”

ExploreThe rich Georgia Gullah Geechee roots of the spiritual ‘Kumbaya’

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