Jerico-Jim Crow

Jerico-Jim Crow is a critically acclaimed 1964 musical, with a book written by Langston Hughes. It was a pioneering work in the urban contemporary gospel musical style, based on the themes of the Civil Rights Movement in the United States. According to Arnold Rampersad, a Hughes scholar, Hughes had “virtually pioneered” the black gospel musical, first with Black Nativity (1961) and then with Jericho-Jim Crow .

Book: William Hairston and Langston Hughes

Premiere: Sunday, January 5, 1964 at the Sanctuary Theatre, (New York) . It was co-directed by Alvin Ailey and William Hairston and conducted by Hugh Porter. Marion Joseph Franklin, Jr. was associate musical director and musical accompanist.

(A 1964 New York Times Review by Richard F. Shepard )

Original Cast

• Joseph Attles
• William Cain
• Dorothy Drake
• Micki Grant
• Rosalie King
• Metrogene Myles
• Gilbert Price

Songs

• A meeting here tonight
• I'm on my way
• I been 'Buked and I been Scorned
• Such a little king
• Is Massa Gwine to sell us tomorrow?
• How much do you want me to bear?
• Where will I lie down?
• Follow the Drinkin' Gourd
• John Brown's Body
• The Battle Hymn of the Republic
• Slavery chain done broke at last
• Oh, Freedom
• Go down, Moses
• Ezekiel Saw the Wheel
• Stay in the field
• Freedom land
• God's gonna cut you down
• Better leave segregation alone
• My mind on freedom
• We Shall Overcome
• The battle of old Jim Crow
• Come and go with me