Mahalia Jackson: The Power and the Glory

As one critic remarked, when gospel singer Mahalia Jackson sang about soul, she lived it, embodied it, and defined it for all time. This video is a vivid and welcome reminder of the journey and legacy of the great Mahalia, a journey which took her from a New Orleans shack to New York's Carnegie Hall. Along the way she opened doors for other black entertainers, made gospel accessible to white audiences, toured the world as a roving goodwill ambassador, championed the causes of Dr. Martin Luther King, and stood up to be counted when it wasn't popular to be for civil rights. The film recalls her natural gift to move listeners, which came from her abiding religious faith. Mahalia was hampered by physical disabilities and limited by her refusal to abandon gospel for the more commercial blues and jazz. But her biggest obstacle was America's persistent racism, which kept her out of hotels and restaurants, discouraged "Negro records" from being heard on the radio, and drove her popular television show off the air. Family and friends (notably author Studs Terkel) remember the personal side of the singer, and film clips show the clapping, shaking, thundering electricity of her live performances. This fine biography is highly recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (S. Rees)