Musical accompaniment: Precious Lord, Take My Hand by the great Mahalia Jackson

A quick note on today’s musician, Mahalia Jackson. She’s a legendary gospel singer and she deserves her own post. Even if you’ve never heard Mahalia Jackson, you’ve certainly felt her influence from singers like Aretha Franklin, Elvis Presley, B.B. King, and Little Richard, just to name a few.

This 1898 photograph by Rudolf Eickemeyer Jr. is titled Uncle Essick. In tiny letters beneath the photo it says, “From Alabama.” I believe the item in his right hand is a cane, but it’s hard to be sure.

You wonder what his life was like. I’m really poor at guessing ages, but he looks sharp and observant to me. I bet not much got past him!