Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post documents a number of comments from Black folks about a light skin woman being the romantic interest in the official 2016 YouTube video for Nigerian Afrobeats singer Korede Bello's hit song "Do Like That".

That YouTube video is embedded in this post.

The content of this post is presented for socio-cultural purposes.

All copyright remains with their owners.

Thanks to Korede Bello for recording this song and thanks to all those who are associated with this video/song. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publisher of this video on YouTube.

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PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S NOTE
This compilation documents most of the comments that I read about skin color and colorism that are found in the discussion thread for the official YouTube video of Nigerian Afrobeats Singer Korede Bello"s "Do Like That" (as of January 21, 2020). These comments were posted by Black people (as indicated by their screen pictures and/or their comments.) Also, judging by their names and/or their comments, most of the people commenting about this subject in that discussion were young adult (20-30 years) Africans. A number of other comments on that subject were from young adult people who self-identified as being from the Caribbean.

There are lots of comments on other topics in that discussion thread. However, I wanted to document comments about skin color and colorism from these populations for the historical record.

Here's a definition of "colorism" from https://www.dictionary.com/browse/colorism
"differential treatment based on skin color, especially favoritism toward those with a lighter skin tone and mistreatment or exclusion of those with a darker skin tone, typically among those of the same racial group or ethnicity."

Most of the commenters in this discussion thread criticized what they considered to be colorism directed against brown skin or dark skin woman toward the light skin woman who was chosen to play the role in that video of that singer's romantic interest.

It should be noted that there didn't appear to be any other light skin people in the setting for that video - a dance club or dance party. However, judging by her hair texture, her skin tone, and her facial features, the actress chosen for that role was clearly of some Black descent (a number of commenters referred to her as being "mixed".) Perhaps what made the choice of this woman for that role so glaring to the commenters was that, besides that woman, there aren't any other light skin people in that video.

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SHOWCASE VIDEO: Korede Bello - Do Like That ( Official Music Video )



MavinRecords, Nov 22, 2016
-snip-
Click https://genius.com/Korede-bello-do-like-that-lyrics for the lyrics to this song which are mostly in English.

****
SELECTED COMMENTS
(with numbers added for referencing purposes only)

1. Sherisse Scott, 2016
"The song and the mix is lovely but I am disappointed in the video. The concept was lame and it did not show off your dancing talent that you clearly have. The girl was ALL wrong and you should have done a solo African dance with you and and a lady. I totally agree with Caribbean Snow in the comments. Stay true to your roots don't turn your back on our ppl."

**
2. Michelyn Boateng, 2016
"Nice, Korede next time feature African queens. You said that you prefer Chocolate ladies on multiple radio interviews, and yet never feature us. As much as I love you, I'm a bit disappointed."

**
3. Joy Thompson, 2016
"Colorism has always been in our culture especially in music"

**
4. sweetbabyboo5, 2016
"1. where's the dancing
2. Where's the beautiful chocolate 4C Goddess
3. Love the song but probably won't watch the video much."
-snip-
"4c" is a contemporary African American created term that is used as a referent for the tightly curled hair texture that most people of Black African descent have. Click https://www.thatsister.com/what-are-4a-4b-and-4c-hair-types-answers-and-picture-examples-inside/ for information about and pictures of 4a, 4b, and 4c hair textures.

**
5. Dancehall Divas Africa
"Disappointed in this video! & perpetuating this stoopid culture of "light bein right" is annoying me now! Of ALL the beautiful African women that can actually buss a move and this is what we get???"

**
6. Empress Triumphant, 2016
"There r soooo many BEAUTIFUL dark African sisters on this planet! Why not put one in ur video?"

**
7. Aleki Ajuet, 2016
"Tired of the light skin broad theme. Even in Africa smh"

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REPLY
8. Airy2020, 2017
"Aleki Ajuet just stop hating don't let people know your insecurities"

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9. Day_bore_uh, 2016
"Dam very disappointed with the video was hoping for more dancing and was hoping for dark skin queen."

**
REPLY
10. African Child, 2016
"Deborah Charles I feel you, I painfully accepted the reality with american hip hop videos but now it's just messed up that this is being replicated in to afrobeats videos. It used to be refreshing to watch them...just unfortunate"

**
REPLY
11. Saran Wright, 2016
"Deborah Charles i feel your pain babygirl"

**
REPLY
12. khanhalee, 2016
"Deborah Charles Africans comes in different shades! ppl like what they like. there are guys who like lighter shade. I like dark skin men! ppl hv preferences."

**
REPLY
13. Fab 4, 2016
"Right"

**
REPLY
14. kayla Nicholas, 2016
"Deborah Charles yeah for real I was expecting that there would dark skin girlss"

**
REPLY
15. FaithsStardust, 2017
"I think people understand that +khanlie .... but when you only get to see one type of brown female represented .... it gets abit tiring.

As you said, Africans come in different shades and yet when it comes to attractive females, for the most part only lighter brown woman are shown leaving the darker hues to feel inadequate.

Yes, all of us brown woman are strong and beautiful but sometimes you need a pick me up, you know? Especially since a good portion of Africa is on the darker side."

**
REPLY
16. D.i.n BEATS ღ, 2016
"I was expecting some dope Nigerian/African girl dancing here.. But anyway cool video ♫"

**
REPLY
17. Joseph S. Koroma, 2017
"idek if it is just my attitudes or if African music and video are becoming more Anglo-saxon influenced"

**
REPLY
18. Chris Oghenetega Maloney, 2017
"Y'all keep whining n natch your teeth"

**
REPLY
19. BLUE SEE, 2018
"The girls in the video are chocolate they are Africans"

**
REPLY
20. Arusha Nishiki, 2019
"Not all african are dark girl"

**
21. Dini G, 2016
"Nice song but where re all the DARK SKIN GIRLS are they on exile?? There re beautiful black girls please feature them more am tired of seeing all these fair chicks."

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REPLY
22. hassan oye, 2016
"its okay with all these 'where r the dark skinned girls' talk, abi is it your video... e don do abeg"

**
REPLY
23. Joy Thompson, 2016
"Dini G Yess"

**
REPLY
24. Dini G, 2016
"hassan oye am entitled to my own opinion and ur name does not look like koredo so don't try to be rude! how many famous white artists do u see featuring black girls as the main chick in their songs???There is nothing wrong in featuring other skin tone but it's now a habit with most nigerian musicians."

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REPLY
25. attagirl, 2016
"Dini G some of you girls complain too much u should know what to expect by now"

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REPLY
26. Dini G, 2016
"Souljagurl 107 am not complaining it's just the fact,this is the reason most black skinned ladies bleach their skin cos the men act like fair girls re more beautiful."

**
REPLY
27. E Don Do, 2016
"Dini G thank u, you said it all"

**
28. Lilian Williams, 2017
"Why don't they put dark skinned women 😟😟 we are beautiful too"

**
REPLY
29. Logose Christinems, 2017
"ov course even us we are beautiful"

**
REPLY
30. Smile3311, 2017
"The absence of a dark skin girl in a video doesn't invalidate her beauty. Be self-secure,they can feature other skin tones aswell.All black is beautiful."

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REPLY
31. TT, 2017
"his other videos have gorgeous dark skin women, better looking then this girl too"

**
REPLY
32. Lilianna Sabandith18, 2017
"Lilian Williams he never said that u guys aren't beautiful it what he wants cuz it's his music video. He prob will putt dark skin soon"

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REPLY
33. ɴᴏᴛᴄᴜᴛᴇ. ᴀʀɪɪɪ, 2017
"No body said you guys are not pretty I believe that evrygirl is buetyful I'm mixed so I can relate....a little"

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REPLY
34. Olivia Johnson, 2017
"thats right B.L.M/Black.Lives.Matter"

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REPLY
35. Spiritual Entrepreneurs, 2017
"Lilian Williams hey beautiful you know you're beautiful its all within u and any credit you get externally is extra to what you already know. You're beautiful"

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REPLY
36. Emma Kariuki, 2017
"Preach!!"

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REPLY
37. Leslyn Klass, 2017
"Lilian Williams amen"

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REPLY
38. CaNt StOp GaMiNg, 2017
"Lilian Williams they do! In the background"

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REPLY
39. Saphhire Gem, 2017
"Lilian Williams they did the light skinned girl was just the main person he saw and she is african too but it's good for our races to kid with each other just look at mixed babies every baby is special but I'm saying some people think we should only love our own race and I real like diffrent races from all around the world shouldnlobe each other create more defined children so where is my mixed squad at every one is beautiful in their own way love you all"

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REPLY
40. Infullbloom Time, 2017
"Right it's ridiculous it's like this everywhere"

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REPLY
41. Mrm, 2017
"You have no confidence when you need a darkskin girl in the video to feel beautiful.The girl in the video is beautiful please stop this Light skin Dark skin sh&t* we are all black.
-snip-
*This word is fully spelled out in this comment."

**
REPLY
42. Finding Medicine, 2017
"Mrm I disagree with you. It is not a matter of lacking in confidence. It is a subtle bias ness that most of us Africans have to admit to prior to finding a solution. It is not that light ppl are not beautiful and it is not that lighter complexion ppl are not love worthy or appreciated but it’s the monster that the more melanated men and women have to deal with. This problem is a consequence of colonization. Whether you are dumb , deaf or blind we know what this is. So desist from amalgamating and crying for forgetfulness. Let’s fix the psychological problems we are afraid to talk about.Just like a light skin girl is deceived that the lighter the better it is the same reason a darker complexion is deceived the more melanated the more hated. Doubt my claim , rewatch the video, look around you , watch more videos amongst us blacks. Quit playing ignorant and start the mental fixing that we need. We I mean black ppl all shades."

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REPLY
43. Mbock Brimandi, 2017
"Africa has the most diverse phenotype. We can produce all types of skin color. So don't remain behind. Dark skin does not mean you are the only african. We have our children from mixed mariages; what do you want them to think since their skin is not as dark as yours?"

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REPLY
44. Cici Ni, 2017
"All colors are beautiful, don’t ever underestimate or doubt your beauty. Ever."

**
REPLY
45. Rose Reacts, 2017
"D.i.n BEATS ღ The girl in the video is mixed with black though so what's the problem? Lol"

**
REPLY
46. Mel is the best, 2017
"I look like the girl"

**
REPLY
47. Yesenia Hernandez, 2017
"Why were you expecting that and is it wrong that he chose her?"

**
REPLY
48. xokuox, 2017
"I dont care about her being mixed, but its pretty boring when all she's doing is looking at the camera. This is the kind of song you dance to and the video should have had some type of dance to fit the music."

**
REPLY
49. tigerstripes, 2018
"Yesenia Hernandez go away! You wouldn't understand where she's coming from but then again Hispanics are notorious for keeping dark women from their music videos. We don't want to see that in African videos where the main supporters are African women like it is already happening in black American videos! The day y'all start putting afro Latinas in Hispanic media is the day you can freely come here and ask your stupid question! STOLE African dances and culture and wouldn't put afro Latinos in your media gtfoh!"

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REPLY
50. dahlia sherman, 2018
"Rose Reacts black=/=half-black."

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REPLY
51. ryan C, 2018
"Yeah kinda kills the African vibes
..I looked in the comments to see if anyone else was feeling the same lol"

**
REPLY
52. paddy Bibs, 2018
"D.i.n BEATS ღ she is Nigerian. Sorry"

**
REPLY
53. OnikasTEA, 2018
"tigerstripes how are Hispanics stealing culture when we have Africans roots in us? I swear you’re bitter"

**
REPLY
54. Tessy May, 2018
"Rose Reacts to a pure African...mixed with black is NOT black. In America she's black not here"

**
REPLY
55. Emmanuel Abijo, 2018
"@Yesenia Hernandez cause he's a Nigerian artist and alot of lyrics are in Yoruba. Would have been nice to see someone that least looks like she understands the lyrics he's serenading her with.

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56. La'Cara Reddick, 2017
"the music itself is dope I just feel there should have been a sezy dark chocolate women to fit the video" itself

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57. Glo Doll, 2017
"Real Africans but the main chick is always lightskin"

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REPLY
58. Dembouz Silva, 2017
"Glo Doll i know but they are africans 😄 so....."

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59. Mercas Ed, 2017
"nice music but naija boys ya have to start love dark skin black women in your videos"

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REPLY
60. FAQsofLife, 2017
"Mercas ED I'm sure your comment is meant with nothing but appreciation for diversity of skin colour, however have you pondered on the possibility of these artists not featuring many dark skinned beauties simply because there are very few supplying such services. They surely have higher standards than being reduced to some artist's video vixen in order to attract an audience keen on sexually objectifying one. I believe some if not most dark skinned women are glad to not be associated to one more negative aspect of today's society."

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REPLY
61. Mercas Ed, 2017
"i am capeverdian and trust i african and i know there is alot of Beautiful dark skin girls in Nigeria or where ever they are shooting this video s.i know THE mentality"

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REPLY
62. Eunny Olohi, 2017
"black is beautiful"

**
REPLY
63. reè anastasia, 2017
"Does it matter? We're all women of colour."

**
REPLY
64. nnadaddy, 2017
"reè anastasia It does matter. Inclusion is important"

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REPLY
65. Kokoette Sunday Itim, 2017
"Mercas ED you should know that in Nigeria they are a lot of light skin people especially girls. I think it's based on choice of the musician, cuz someone like runtown always uses dark skinned girls."

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REPLY
66. Musah, 2017
"you mean there are a lot of artifcially lightskinned women....."

**
REPLY
67. Esther Coker, 2017
"Mercas ED Stop hating ... All shades of brown is beautiful. I love the diversity."

**
REPLY
68. Susan Machau, 2017
"it's high tym African understand that black is beauty!! please this goes to all African artists include your beautiful black beauty women in your videos atleast to represent your African beauty... it was my opinion though..."

**
REPLY
69. Ponsford Doe, 2017
"Dark skin light skin is the same as black so what is your point. Are u saying light skin girls are not African."

**
REPLY
70. zadu baba, 2017
"Sel Bel inclusion is important until they intentionally exclude the appearance of their main audience 🤔"

**
REPLY
71. Nia, 2017
"Mercas ED thank YOU!! All those beautiful black dark skin women and you in the club dancing with the lightest one! Smh So obvious too"

**
REPLY
72. Abena Candy, 2017
"I like the song but it’s something man... when all these West AFRICAN music videos never feature dark skin women, rather mixed women or women of different nationalities. The woman in the video was beautiful and she did her thing, but damn this just shows that not even black Africans want to represent other black Africans even if they’re in Africa. I’m not saying only dark skin women should be featured, I’m just saying Africa is a continent full of different beautiful chocolate women, so use them!"

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REPLY
73. Austin Dave, 2017
"Those girls are Africans, Nigerian girls ain’t so dark."

**
REPLY
74. Atta Mike, 2018
"No the woman is black, I have the same skin colour like her pole think that I'm an American buh I'm a Ghanaian"

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REPLY
75. RO Tail, 2018
"Abena Candy wish u overcome the color issue here and just enjoy the art. I'm African purple and I could care less."

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REPLY
76. Wigan Sichilima, 2018
"Roni she's right only Maleek Berry and Maybe Mr Eazi use black girls, Tekno Uses Latinas, Davido uses everyone etc"

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REPLY
77. oscar genova, 2018
"Abena Candy the darker the better !!!"

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78. Saran Wright, 2017
"Chocolate women are so beautiful 🍫❤"

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REPLY
79. Kechena Barrett, 2017
"U can just say black it's not offensive. And thanks 🙏🏽"

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REPLY
80. Maria Blu, 2017
"Kechena Barrett he said chocolate because some of us are dark"

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REPLY
81. Happy Thinking Is Healthy, 2017
"God loves all, no matter color. We are all family, no matter color, and we should treat everyone like family, beacause family and love is the most important thing. 🙏"

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REPLY
82. Sisanda Ngwenya, 2017
"Saran Wright thanks😂"

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REPLY
83. M. R., 2017
"African American chocolate 👎.... Caribbean chocolate or Latin chocolate 👍"

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REPLY
84. curlyheadcc_, 2017
"M. R. rasis ni&&a* I mixed with African American and white and look at me im beautiful chocolate"
-snip-
*This word is fully spelled out in this comment.

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85. TheIrbe, 2018
"He shouldn’t have used a mixed girl.... Black people are the only people who will protray the beauty of other women then their own."

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REPLY
86. MIDDLE east, 2019
"What black are you talking about.."

Is she not dark enough?

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REPLY
87. Ziko Alejandro Ramos, 2019
"Every video must have dark skinned women?"

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REPLY
88. Royalty Jackson, 2019
"You people need to stop this thing with the colour of our skin colour this song is out here for every body to love"

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82. Detroit Skippy, 2019
"Why a pale face girl model????"

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89. Luxury Consignment, 2019
"What does this blonde girl know about “bend like say you want to pack your money?” 😒

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Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post presents information about Ivory Coast singer/songwriter Meiway and information about the musical genre he developed called "Zoblazo".

This post also showcases the official YouTube video for Meiway's 2016 song "Biboya".

The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.

I'm most interested in the singing and the dancing and clothing worn in this video. However, as a person who only speaks and reads English, Google translates' English translations helped me understand what the song/video is about. Thanks Google translate. Additions and corrections are welcome.

All copyright remains with their owners.

Thanks to Meiway for his musical legacy. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to Meiway for sharing this video on YouTube.

****
INFORMATION ABOUT MEIWAY
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meiway
"Frederic Desire Ehui , best known as Meiway (born 17 March 1962 in Grand Bassam), is a singer from the Ivory Coast.[1] He is most notable for pioneering the Zoblazo style.[1] His hits include "200% Zoblazo", "Godeba", "Appolo 95", "Miss Lolo", and "DJ Tassouman"."...

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INFORMATION ABOUT ZOBLAZO
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zoblazo
"Zoblazo is a musical style from Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, created in the early 1990s. It is a cosmopolitan popular dance music with simple up-tempo rhythm and high tech instrumentation and contains a mixture of traditional dance rhythms from southern Côte d'Ivoire.

Zoblazo's best known exponent is Freddy Meiway, who has released a series of Zoblazo records starting in 1989 with the record "Ayibebou" with his group Zo Gang. An ethnic N'Zema from Grand Bassam, Meiway integrated folk rhythms from Côte d'Ivoire and Ghana with and is danced to with a white handkerchief. From his second album in 1990 entitled 200% Zoblazo, Meiway became the second best known Ivorian and N'zema musician after Alpha Blondy, and has released a steady stream records, the most recent 9ème commandement –900% zoblazo released in 2007."...

****
SHOWCASE VIDEO: Meiway - Bipoya [Clip Officiel]



MEIWAY OFFICIEL, Apr 4, 2017

Cette chanson de l'album "Illimitic" sorti en Septembre 2016 m'a été inspirée par ce "buzz" lors de la finale de Miss Côte d'Ivoire 2014. Celui que je surnomme "Bipoya" (Victor Yapobi président du Comici) a défrayé la chronique. Ce titre pour immortaliser cette phrase historique : "Tu as abusé de moi..." de Yasmine Aka la mère d'une candidate malheureuse qui criait au scandale...Réalisation : Jean Jules Porquet pour Erico Séry, Mise en scène : Jean Jules Porquet et Meiway......Acteurs : Pancho, Manan Kampess, Jimmy Danger, N'tangu, Manou Jolie, Groupe Moayé......
-snip-
Google translate from French to English:
This song from the album "Illimitic" released in September 2016 was inspired by this "buzz" during the final of Miss Ivory Coast 2014. The one I nicknamed "Bipoya" (Victor Yapobi president of Comici) has hit the headlines. This title to immortalize this historic sentence: "You have abused me ..." by Yasmine Aka the mother of an unhappy candidate who cried out in scandal ... Director: Jean Jules Porquet for Erico Séry, Director: Jean Jules Porquet and Meiway ...... Actors: Pancho, Manan Kampess, Jimmy Danger, N'tangu, Manou Jolie, Groupe Moayé ...
-snip-
Here are some comments from this video's discussion thread (with numbers added for referencing purposes only)
The Google translate results from French to English are given after the comments that are written in French.

1. Ama Benny, 2017
"Meiway is a legend!"

**
REPLY
2. zingue Hilaire Tia, 2018
"Une très grande légende."
-snip-
"A very great legend."

**
REPLY
3. MegaDiva1999, 2018
"of all times. He should be known globally and recognised accordingly.Spectacular talent"

**
4. Bobi Kouassi, 2017
"😂😂😂😂 paraît il que ça parle de l'abuseur Victor yapobi qui abuse des miss et leur mère"
-snip-
"😂😂😂😂 It seems that it speaks of the abuser Victor Yapobi who abuses the misses and their mother

**
REPLY
5. Elisee Irie, 2017
"Franchement ça m a fait penser à l histoire la miss et sa mère!!"
-snip-
Frankly it made me think of the story of the miss and her mother !!

**
REPLY
6. KeybleuM 2017
"Bobi Kouassi quand on y pense...bipoya, yapobi !"
-snip-
Bobi Kouassi when you think about it ... bipoya, yapobi!

**
REPLY
7. Nana Dasy, 2017
"Bobi Kouassi Mdr en plus il a dit son nom un peu vers la fin la Mdrr"
-snip-
Bobi Kouassi Mdr in addition he said his name a little towards the end the Mdrr
-snip-
"Mdrr" - "As a French translation of the English “lol” and used in exactly the same way, mdr or mort de rire means to be dying of laughter. You know you're chatting like a true native if you add a casual mdrrr to an online conversation."https://www.fluentu.com/blog/french/french-internet-slang-chat-online-native/

**
8. Bobi Kouassi, 2017
"Nana Dasy lol oui il a dit son nom il lui a fait une dédicace. il a aussi fait une dédicace à yasmine aka ( celle qui a dit à la télé " tu as abuser de moi ) et il a même dit les miss cachez vous bipoya ( yapobi ) arrive..... bipoya ( yapobi ) est très petit mais il est très tranchant. yapobi doit porter plainte c'est une attaque direct 😂😂😂😂😂😂"
-snip-
"Nana Dasy lol yes he said his name he made her a dedication. he also made a dedication to yasmine aka (the one who said on tv "you have abused me) and he even said the miss hide you bipoya (yapobi) is coming ..... bipoya (yapobi) is very small but he is very sharp. yapobi must file a complaint it is a direct attack"

**
9. Elise Djait, 2017
"Bobi Kouassi .cest sa mème"
-snip-
"Bobi Kouassi. It's his meme"

**
10. Mohamed Coulibalym 2017
"Bobi Kouassi donc porté contre un artiste aussi existe koi la liberté d'expression à gagné temps"
-snip-
"Bobi Kouassi therefore brought against an artist also exists freedom of expression to save time"

[...]

11. Melina Yao, 2017
"non il a bien fait parce ces elle une mec leçons parce dans la vie pour arriver a tes fin ya des sacrifices surtout pour être miss même chanteur la vie cest un choix ces forcer tu veut être miss qui sait par que pour être miss tu couche avec avec victor yapobi ou tu paye pour gagner d'autre font médicament pour gagner Malika Guindo qui voulait fesait parti des élections de miss côté d'Ivoire elle a fait accident et l'autre qui défilé et a trébuché et est tomber pour être miss côté d'ivoire tu paye cash ok donc mieway a bien prochainement tu va envoyé ta fille pour fait tu va payer cash"
-snip-
"no he did well because these she a guy lessons because in life to reach your end there are sacrifices especially to be miss same singer life is a choice these force you want to be miss who knows that to be miss you sleep with with victor yapobi or you pay to win other make medicine to win Malika Guindo who wanted to be part of the elections of miss side of Ivory she made an accident and the other who marched and tripped and fell to be miss side of ivory you pay cash ok so mieway has soon soon you will send your daughter for fact you will pay cash"

[...]

12. Edwina Edwina, 2018
"Bobi Kouassi lolllll tu m'as kill"
-snip-
"Bobi Kouassi lolllll you killed me"

[...]

13. Juan Cruz, 2020
"Idem🤣🤣🤣🤣"

**
14. Yann Yao, 2020
"Yapobi est petit de taille aussi unh 🤔
-snip-
"Yapobi is small in size also unh 🤔"

****
LYRICS - BIBOYA [with some lyrics translated to English]*
(Meiway)

shake the women, shake the girls shake the misses.
the abuser arrives (bipoya).
tremble women, tremble girls, tremble the misses.
Bipoya arrives.
koutoubou (christian levry) souu (karaba the witch).
koutoubou deni deni, koutoubou bipoya.
kotoubou deni deni koutoukoutou Bipoya.
ô tra elengue ... ô tra koussou miaou miaou owa zeno sou.
Bipoya is small, but he is very valiant.
bipoya is very small ooh but it is very sharp.

(chorus)
women hide.
girls hide too.
the misses hide you who can Bipoya arrives ooohh.
you abused me I don't know what tell me why.
you abused me oooh Bipo, ooh wé.
Yasmine aka, maduro.
sampagne, anne d'arc, meambly evariste.
suke humm, sidonie kotonglo.
koutoubou deni deni koutoubou Bipoya.
koutoubou deni deni oh koutoukoutou Bipoya.
O tra anaconda, O pkè kabè kabè hun.
otra koussou miaou miaou, ô azègouan sou.
Bipoya is small but very brave.
bipoya is very small oh but very dangerous (charles
koko).

koutoubou deni deni koutoubou bipoya.
aba koutoubou deni deni oh koutoubou Bipoya, fabrice
sawegnon.
you have abused me I don't know what tell me why.
you abused me ooh Bipo.
you dared.
you abused me (eeh) I don't know what tell me why.
you abused me ooh Bipo (alice kobenan).
eeh iyiwéeee, (sylvie niamoutié).
ah bipoya eh ah bipoya (ahoua ahoguié).
ah bipoya goledjo (rock yves bipoya).
ah bipoya goledjo, bipoya golé.
ah bipoya goledjo, eeehi bipoya golé (don karim).

koutoubou deni deni (chorus).
eeeh koutoubou deni deni (chorus).
you abused me ooh, (chorus).
eeehi you abused me ooh (chorus).
eeh koutoubou deni deni, (chorus).
aba koutoukoutoubou deni deni (chorus).
bipoya (theo d almeida), (fefe sovi, vieu père bictogo)
aaarh.
(chorus) victor yapobi.
(refrain) bipoya golé.
(chorus) aaah bipoya golé.
(chorus) thierry koffi bipoya (chorus).
yves de m'bella bipoya (chorus).
koutoubou deni deni (chorus).
dagou kouyate bipoya (chorus).
elysee danguiiooo (chorus).
eehh koutoubou deni deni (chorus).
achimoto tanaka (chorus).
Yves Ane Kobea (chorus).
edgar marie de souza (chorus).
eeehi koutoubou deni deni (chorus) number 69.
koutoubou deni deni (chorus).
honorable sahifoulaye (chorus).
Olivier Dungu (chorus).
stacked sack (refrain).
koutoubou deni deni (chorus).


From https://lyricstranslate.com/en/meiway-bipoya-lyrics.html

Here's the link to the lyrics that I put in Google translate: https://lyricstranslate.com/en/meiway-bipoya-lyrics.html

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post presents information about the Congolese dance called "Ndombolo" and showcases seven YouTube videos of old and new styles of Ndombolo dance.

A few discussion thread comments are also included in this post.

This post also showcases the official YouTube video for .

The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyright remains with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are featured in these videos and thanks also to all those who are quoted in this posts. Thanks also to the publishers of these videos on YouTube.

****
INFORMATION ABOUT NDOMBOLO
From https://www.mattersmusical.com/artists/bantu-african-acrobatic-group/ Bantu African Acrobatic Group's Bio
..."Soukous, another name for African rumba, is a genre of music that emerged in the Congo in the 1930s and 1940s. The name is derived from the French word secouer, meaning to shake. In the mid 1990s soukous evolved a new style called `Ndombolo’ – interspersing shouts with bursts of vocal melody and harmony over fast and powerful drumming."...

**
From https://www.facebook.com/Pjafromusic/photos/a.313635222106403/331088487027743/?type=1&theater
"Papa Joze, September 7, 2013 ·

Ndombolo Dance

Ndombolo is a style of dance that is foundational to Congolese popular urban dancing. Characterized by moving one’s pelvis in a circular motion, occasionally thrusting the hips with the help of the bent knees, the ndombolo has become widespread not only across the DRC, but across Africa as well. In fact, many Africans refer to Congolese music as ndombolo. In countries like Cameroon, ndombolo dancing has been banned by the government for being too vulgar or obscene . While the origins of this dance are unknown by many Rhumba fans, there is an urban mythology surrounding it. If you ask Street Kids in Kishasa they will tell you it was created to mimic the way Kabila, the president who overthrew Mobutu, walked as he limped into the country from the Eastern forest region supported by Banyamulenge ( people who live in the moutains) Force. The older generation will tell you that the ndombolo imitates apes and monkeys, still others insist that the word ndombolo is derived from the Hindoubill word for marijuana, which they claim that makes one’s body go wild with movement. When I spoke to one Old man from Mbandaka North of Congo he made me to subscribe to the ape ( gorilla or chimpanzee) theory , he pointed out that the word itself describes how apes , monkeys or baboons walk ie with pomposity and boastful( kukanyaira , mukanya) if I would describe it the Zimbabwean way. When Kabila advanced from eastern congo , the Banyamulenge Force could have used the ape tactic . Chest out and appear big to intimidate the opponent you may win the battle without any fight.

NB this is a post to shed light on the origins of ndomolo dance and the word itself, hence I don't intend to invite political comments about Congo . However anyone with a different mythology is free to contribute. Top of the hour its Rhumba Time on www.visionsfm.com, ale tokende liboso"

****
SHOWCASE VIDEO:
Video #1: JB MPIANA BAZO KOKA TE1



zible399, Sep 6, 2009

NDOMBOLO

****
Video #2: AFRICA DANCE NDOMBOLO



thoms903, Apr 18, 2014

Africa dance ndombolo
Awilo Logomba - Werrason - Papa Wemba - Reddy Amisi
Bozi Boziana - Didier Masela
ETRvideo (2014)
-snip-
Unfortunately, the video publisher didn't put the names of the songs in order of their appearance in this video. However, he and others responded to some requests for the names of songs. These comments are given without their "thank you" responses:

1. FumuJahmez, 2015
"What is the name of Werrason's song at 10:35? Thank you brother"

**
REPLY
2. thoms903, 2015
"+FumuJahmez Miss margo"

**
3. santos664, 2015
"@Thoms903 do you know the name of the artist at 24:25..... I really would like to research more music on him. He has a great voice and style..... Thanks"

**
REPLY
4. thoms903, 2015
"+santos664 salut l'artiste s'appelle BOZI BIZIANA"

**
REPLY
5. CORNELIUS SHIKANDA, 2016
"+santos664 what's the title of the song?"

**
REPLY
6. King Shaddy Raddy, 2016
"9eme Commandment from the Bana Saint Gabriel (1998) album."

**
7. Prince Shembo, 2015
"what is the song called at 20:00 i been hearing that song since I was a child and never knew the name?"

**
REPLY
8. Kyambikwa Emable Wabenga, 2015
"@Prince Shembo its werrason- solola bien"

**
9. Nicaise BEUGRE, 2015
"Can someone tell me who is singing from 32'55 please.
He is the best!"

**
REPLY
10. BoutCoeur, 2015
"+it's a song by Wenge Musica Maison Mere from the Album Intervention Rapide (1998) the singer is Bill Clinton Kalonji"

**
REPLY
11. Africansoundboy, 2015
"+Ndumbi Gilles JP Mpiana, Bill Clinton Kalonji is the atalaku(rapper/animation)"

**
12. moneymusic, 2015
"whats the name of the artist and the song at 31:00 someone help....thanx"

**
REPLY
13. Hoffanheim, 2018
"moneymusic Papa Wemba Kolo Historie"

**
14. CORNELIUS SHIKANDA, 2016
"hallo, can you tell us the correct name of the song at 24:40 by bozi boziana?"

**
REPLY
15. Wilfuil San Luis, 2017
"CORNELIUS SHICKS nouvohyti"

**
16. tevela Jr Maya, 2016
"hello what's the name and artist of the song at 2:40? thank you!"

**
REPLY
17. Hoffanheim, 2017
"tevela Jr Maya werrason satellite"

****
Video #3: NDOMBOLO DANCE (2015)



thoms903, Dec 26, 2014

****

Video #4: LACOSTE DALWEAR - Tourbillon (Ndombolo Freestyle)



YA LEVIS DALWEAR MUSIC, Dec 31, 2016

Artiste : LACOSTE DALWEAR
Titre :Tourbillon (Ndombolo Freestyle)
Compositeur : Ya Levis / Lacoste Dalwear
Concepteur de la danse : Lacoste Dalwear

****
Video #5: Fally Ipupa - Ecole (Clip officiel)



Fally Ipupa, Jul 25, 2018
-snip-
Here's a few comments from this video's discussion thread (with numbers added for referencing purposes only):
1. STANLEY N MUZAMU, 2018
"Fally i loved you the first day i saw u dancing and singing for Koffi Olomide..u were soo good and now are even dangerious with this new dance..loved by me all the way frm Namibia/Zim"

**
2. Jane Kimuli, 2019
"You gotta have stamina to dance to these songs. No song is under 7mins. And the beat keeps changing. Not for the weak in the waist. 🤣🤣🤣"

**
REPLY
3. Jessica Monka, 2019
"Waist and legs for real 😂😂😂"

**
REPLY
4. Jeannot Mwangala, 2019
"Aahaha i can feel for u but as for us Congolese we're used to this at least this one very reasonable with their dance moves. We've seen more than this lol. Anyway enjoy😁👍"

**
5. Josiane, 2019
"Jeannot Mwangala exactly 😂😂😂😂😭😭😭, especially werrason back in the day. His songs used to be so long with very complex movements but somehow everyone knew how to dance it lmaooo!"

**
REPLY
6. David Mkwizu, 2019
"Huuh.. stuff gets more serious in every new change of beat.. No rest.. Damn.. 😅"

****
Video #6: BM Bi Landa Landa Feat. Robinio Mundibu (Official Video)

BM Official, Jun 3, 2019

Enjoy the new sound of congo with BM teaming up with Robinio Mundibu to form Bi Landa Landa. Dance along and send us your videos. Thew new generation sound of Congo where two artists join to form something special. Video directed by Kunai Lester (Montecarlodream) & BM. Uganda scenes directed by Martin Beta. This song is produced by BM and instruments played by Rarity Music from London.

****
Video #7: Koffi Olomide - Papa Ngwasuma (Clip Officiel)



Koffi OLOMIDE, Premiered Aug 10, 2019
-snip-
Here's a comment from this video's discussion thread:
skolomania 242, 2019
"franchement koffi olomide malgré son âge il surprend toujours les gens avec des chansons formidables😍
il a fait danser nos parents maintenant il nous fait danser avec nos enfants.
son talent est donc interminable ?😂
cette chanson est sucrée 😂"
-snip-
Google translate from French to English:
"frankly koffi olomide despite his age he always surprises people with great songs😍
he made our parents dance now he makes us dance with our children.
so his talent is endless? 😂
this song is sweet 😂"

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post documents a writing custom that I've found on some discussion threads for certain YouTube videos in which the commenter writes that a particular nation or institution or group "approve".

The "we approve" in the title for this post is a short hand way of writing that these comments indicate that a particular nation, institution, or group approves that showcased song or dance or comment or that video itself.

These comments may also be phrased as "I approve".

This post includes my Editor's note about this custom and a few examples of this custom from some YouTube discussion threads.

The content of this post is presented for folkloric and cultural purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.

****
PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S NOTE:
"We approve" and "I approve" comments in YouTube discussion threads are short hand for sharing that a particular nation or institution or group approves of the particular song or dance that is showcased in that video, or approves of that video itself.

I'm not sure when or where this YouTube discussion thread custom first started. Any information about this online custom would be greatly appreciated.

These "We approve" or "I approve" comments may consist of just those words or may include other brief remarks and/or nation abbreviations, and/or emojis. For example:
"Namibia approves 🇳🇦🇳🇦"

and

"Cape Town Approve👏👏🔥"

Sometimes the commenter prefaces his or her remarks with "On behalf of" before naming the nation, institution, group he or she (supposedly) represents. For example, "On behalf of all unemployed Social Work graduates. i approve."

Furthermore, those comments may be meant to be or otherwise be used as an introduction to a series of what I call "nation signing in" comments.*

I've also noticed that much less often, "I approve" or "We approve" comments in YouTube discussion threads may also be another way of "co-signing" what another commenter has written. “I approve” or [___] approves means that you or the nation, institution, or group that you are a part of emphatically agree with what that person has just said. On YouTube, a frequently used way of indicating the same agreement is merely writing that previous commenter's screen name.

Most of the "We approve" or "I approve" comments that I've found are in YouTube discussion threads for secular or religious South African music/dance videos. However, I recall reading some "We approve" or "I approve" comments in some Caribbean music videos although I didn't retrieve any of those examples for inclusion in this [or any other] pancocojams post. I've also come across a few examples of this online writing custom in YouTube discussion threads for contemporary African American music.

With two exceptions, the compilation below are "We approve" or "I approve" comments from discussion threads for South African contemporary non-religious or religious music/dance videos.
-snip-
*What I refer to as "nation signing in" comments are another custom that I've documented in certain YouTube contemporary music videos. By "nation signing in" I mean a commenter writing his or her nation (or region such as the Caribbean} and directly inviting or prompting other people from that nation or region to rep [represent/give a shout out to] that nation or region. "Examples Of "Nation Signing In" Comments From The Discussion Thread For Wizkid's Nigerian Afrobeats Song "Soco""http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2019/04/examples-of-nation-signing-in-comments.html is the first pancocojams post that I published about "nation signing in". Click the nation signing in tag below for more pancocojams posts that document some examples of that custom from the discussion thread of a particular YouTube music video.

****
SPECULATION ABOUT THE SOURCE OF THIS WRITING CUSTOM
These "We approve" or "I approve" comments on YouTube discussion threads may have lifted this phrase from American [or other nations?] political ads. In American politics, "I approve this message" (sometimes in the past tense, also with "authorize" in place of "approve" or with "ad" instead of "message") is a phrase said by candidates for federal office to comply with this provision.
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stand_by_Your_Ad_provision
"The "Stand By Your Ad" provision (SBYA) of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act (BCRA, also known as McCain–Feingold Act), enacted in 2002, requires candidates in the United States for federal political office, as well as interest groups and political parties supporting or opposing a candidate, to include in political advertisements on television and radio "a statement by the candidate that identifies the candidate and states that the candidate has approved the communication". The provision was intended to force political candidates running any campaign for office in the United States to associate themselves with their television and radio advertising, thereby discouraging them from making controversial claims or attack ads.[1]"

****
SELECTED EXAMPLES OF "NATION APPROVE" OR "I APPROVE" COMMENTS FROM VARIOUS YOUTUBE DISCUSSION THREADS
These examples are from discussion threads for the linked YouTube video. These YouTube sources are given in no particular order, and their examples are numbered for referencing purposes only.

A. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWJFHhsbv3A
EFF - UPHEPHELA, Feb 5, 2019
-snip-
Regarding "EFF" in this video's title, here's a quote from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economic_Freedom_Fighters"The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) is a South African far-left[15] Pan-Africanist political party. It was founded by expelled former African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) President Julius Malema, and his allies, in 2013.[16] Malema is President of the EFF, heading the Central Command Team which serves as the central structure of the party.[17]

It is currently the third-largest party in both houses of the South African Parliament."
=snip-
The following comments are a small sample of the numerous "approve" comments that are found in this video's discussion thread.

Many of these comments from this video's discussion thread include abbreviations for South African universities. EFFSC [EFF student councils] are very active in those universities. Some of these comments indicate a name of a South African city or neighborhood. Other comments speak for a particular referenced population, a few comments indicate the name of a nation, one commenter speaks for the universe, and one commenter speaks for the continent of Africa.]

1. Nondumiso Msibi, 2019
"On behalf of all those proudly voted for EFF on 2019 elections, I approve #phephela

**
2. Nsuku Assad Mbhalati, 2019
"On behalf of all unemployed Social Work graduates. i approve"

**
3. nana nana, 2019
"Soweto Approves"

**
4. Katleho Masilo, 2019
"The Working Class Approves 👌🏾👌🏾👍"

**
5. Sibusiso Gabuza, 2019
"Cape Town Approve👏👏🔥"

**
6. thembi kola, 2019
"The universe approves ✊🏾"

**
7. Yamkeleka Manjeya, 2019
"on behalf of TUT I approve"

**
8. Spirit of Praise, 2019
"Mthatha approves♡"

**
9. given mahlangu, 2019
"The unemployed approves✊🏾."

**
10. Khulanathi Nkosinathi, 2019
"On behalf of UCT i approve✊✊✊"

**
REPLY
11. ngcingawana81@gmail.com, 2019
"WE APPROVE AS UCT"

**
12. Malamole Brendan, 2019
"EFFSC UNILIM BRANCH (UNIVERSITY OF LIMPOPO) APPROVES"

**
REPLY
13. Matome Lordwick, 2019
"😍😘Yesss...We approve"

**
14. Mawande Mgojo, 2019
"Matatiele approves💪"

**
15. Thabang Mahlangu, 2019
"The Capital CIty Approves"

**
16. Booysen Bafana, 2019
"Wits EFFSC approves"

**
17. Lerato Sefume, 2019
"I APPROVE"

**
18. Letty Magagula, 2019
"unizulu Approves"

**
19. Axe Sibuku, 2019
"I love this song. Phatha Juju Phatha!!... East London and BCMM approves"

**
20. charu rangka, 2019
"I approve from cameroon"

**
21. kwanele dładla, 2019
"South Africa approves"

**
22. Lateh Fombin, 2019
"AFRICA APPROVES"

**
23. Thobeka Promise, 2019
"Nongoma approves"

**
24. Jacinto Sambendje, 2019
"Namibia approves"

**
25. Nontsikelelo Montisetsi, 2019
"the suburban approve"

**
26. Ipeleng Ngwatle, 2019
"South Africans abroad we approve...."

**
27. Mihlali Joy, 2019
"The mighty Kovsies.... UFS approves ❤❤❤"

**
28. Mickey nozewu, 2019
"Alexandra (Greenville squatters) camp approves"

**
29. azile madikizela, 2019
"On behalf of Madikizela family......... i approve"

**
30. World Wide Fitness, 2019
"Fly by night colleges approves"

**
31. Sizwe Ntuli, 2019
"KwaZulu Natal approves"

**
32. Wyclef Mjali, 2019
"Dubai approves"

**
33. Amanda Lubanzi, 2019
"DUT Approves ❤❤"

**
34. evans baloyi, 2019
"UJ All 4 campuses Approve✅"

**
REPLY
35. IMMACULATE MOSWATHUPA, 2019
"We approve✊🏽❤️"

****
B. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=amB_rTcBqZ
BM - Bi Landa Landa Feat. Robinio Mundibu (Official Video), published Jun 3, 2019
1. Namibia approves 🇳🇦🇳🇦, 2019

**
2. chisikana chacho, 2019
"Zimbabwe approves!!!!! This song is 🔥🔥🔥🔥"

**
3. Pat Kasere, 2019
"Zimbabwe approves you get a thumbs up from me i like this new generation ndombolo .😘😘😘"

**
4. Khositect Design, 2019
"SOUTH AFRICA APPROVES...Someone teach me lingaala please"

**
5. John L. Shio, 2019
"🇹🇿🇹🇿🇹🇿 Approves"

**
6. Emma Patience, 2019
"🇿🇦🇿🇦approves... Who else?"

**
7. Amaru GOD, 2019
"🇯🇲🇯🇲🇯🇲🇯🇲🇯🇲.....Jamaica stamp of approval!!!!"

****
C. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuvF9WdP05o
Joyous Celebration - Yesu Wena UnguMhlobo (Live At The CTICC, Cape Town, 2019) (Live), Apr 17, 2019
-snip-
Abbreviations for certain South African universities and certain South African university student councils are also included in these comments.

1. sedzani mugivhi, 2019
"Nkosi yami 🙌🏾 JC 23 is doing the things!!
UJ DFC approves💓

**
2. Itumeleng Mokoena, 2019
"UJ APK approves
Auckland Park Kingsway Campus Student Centre"

**
REPLY
3. nthabiseng tladi, 2019
"We definitely approve❤✔😀"

**
4. Baphatse Dladla, 2019
"As a member of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa, I approve this song. Hymn 195 Xhosa."

**
5. Thokozani Mthombeni, 2019
"New Mission African Church approves!!"

**
6. Mokobo Rapeane, 2019
"Lesotho approves."

**
7. Siphosethu Mbamba, 2019
"United Methodist Church approves!!

**
8. lungelo mngoma, 2019
"(D.U.T) has approved it 👌👌👌❤️❤️"

**
9. karabo lethabo, 2019
"0:44-45 thank me later. My brother was dancing in Holy Ghost 🤣😂🤞. Dankie JC. approved!"

****
D. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tupb4xV-15w
pinky mokhele, 2019
"From shaku shaku to zanku....I swear Nigerians will be the death of meeeooo....#mzansi approves"
-snip-
"Shaku Shuku" and "Zanku" are contemporary Nigerian social dances. "Mzansi" is a referent for the nation of South Africa.

****
E. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OaEH1e_DLm0
Sister Act II- Joyful Joyful
Pete Sheehan, 2019
"Mr Noodle approves.
-snip-
one of the characters in this movie also played the part of "Mr. Noodles" on an American children's television series.

****
F.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcm87U6RUHQ
Zendaya Channels Erykah Badu w/ 'Tyrone' | Lip Sync Battle, Sep 28, 2017
pushaman07, 2019
"Loved it she killed that Song "Tyrone Approved" call him"

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post provides information about the name "Bethel" and the common inclusion of that name in historic and present day Black (African American) churches.

Because many of the Black (African American) churches that include the name "Bethel" are part of the African Methodist Episcopal denomination, information about that Protestant Christian denomination is given in the Addendum to this post.

The content of this post is published for education, religious, and cultural purposes.

Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.
-snip-
This is the first in an ongoing series on this blog of common Black (African American) church names.

Click the "common Black church names" tag to find other posts in this series.

****
NOTE: Discussions about the history, congregations, ministry, and beliefs of Black (African American) churches that include the name "Bethel" should be very clear that those Black (African American) churches aren't the same as and aren't in any way affiliated with Bethel Church (based in Redding, California).

Furthermore, Black (African American) churches that include the name "Bethel" aren't the same as and aren't in any way affiliated with the Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry (which is affiliated with Bethel Church based in Redding, California) or with the record label and music publishing company Bethel Music that is also associated with Bethel Church (based in Redding, California).

Click https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bethel_Church_(Redding,_California) for information about Bethel Church (Redding, California)

****
INFORMATION ABOUT THE NAME "BETHEL"
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bethel
"Bethel (Ugaritic: bt il, meaning "House of El" or "House of God",[1] Hebrew: בֵּית אֵל ḇêṯ’êl, also transliterated Beth El, Beth-El, Beit El; Greek: Βαιθηλ; Latin: Bethel) is a toponym often used in the Hebrew Bible. It is first mentioned in Genesis 12:8 as being near where Abram pitched his tent. Later in Genesis, it is the location where Jacob dreamt of seeing angels and God, and which he therefore named Bethel, "House of God." The name is further used for a border city located between the territory of the Israelite tribe of Benjamin and that of the tribe of Ephraim, which first belonged to the Benjaminites and was later conquered by the Ephraimites.

Eusebius of Caesarea and Jerome describe Bethel in their time as a small village that lay 12 Roman miles north of Jerusalem, to the right or east of the road leading to Neapolis.[2]

Most academics identify Bethel with the Arab West Bank village Beitin,[3] a minority opinion preferring El-Bireh.[4]

Ten years after the 1967 Six-Day War, the biblical name was applied to the Israeli settlement of Beit El, constructed adjacent to Beitin.

In several countries—particularly in the US—the name has been given to various locations...

In the Hebrew Bible
Book of Genesis
Bethel is mentioned several times in Genesis. It is first mentioned in Genesis 12 and 13,[6] as a place near where Abram stayed and built an altar on his way to Egypt and on his return. It is said to be close to Hai (Ai) and just to the west of it. More famously it is mentioned again in Genesis 28,[7] when Jacob, fleeing from the wrath of his brother Esau, falls asleep on a stone and dreams of a ladder stretching between Heaven and Earth and thronged with angels; God stands at the top of the ladder, and promises Jacob the land of Canaan; when Jacob awakes he anoints the stone (baetylus) with oil and names the place Bethel. Another account, from Genesis 35[8] repeats the covenant with God and the naming of the place (as El-Bethel), and makes this the site of Jacob's own change of name to Israel. Both versions state that the original name of the place was Luz, a Canaanite name."...
-snip-
This page continues with a number of other examples of "Bethel" that are mentioned in the Old Testament of the Bible.

I added italics to highlight these words.

****
THE WORD "BETHEL" FOUND IN EXAMPLES OF HISTORICAL BLACK (AFRICAN AMERICAN) CHURCHES
Excerpted from https://www.blackpast.org/special-features/historic-african-american-churches/ Historic African American Churches
"The African American Church has long been considered one of the foundational and most influential institutions in black America. This page is dedicated to highlighting the oldest of these institutions in states across the nation. Listed below are African American churches by state which are at least one century old (founded in 1919 or earlier) and which are continuously operating until today"...

Atlanta, Georgia
Big Bethel AME Church, 1847-

**
Jacksonville, Florida
Bethel Baptist Institutional Church, ca. 1865-

**
Richmond, Indiana
Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church, Richmond, Indiana, 1836-

**
Baltimore, Maryland
Bethel A.M.E., 1785-

**
Great Falls, Montana
Union Bethel A.M.E. Church, 1890-

**
Portland, Oregon
Bethel A.M.E. Church, 1889-

**
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Mother Bethel A.M.E. Church, 1794-
-snip-
I changed the format of the locations of these churches which originally had the state on one line, followed by the city on a second line.

This is only a small sample of the Black (African American) churches throughout the United States that include the name "Bethel". For example, there's a Bethel African Methodist Episcopal church in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania where I live, and another Bethel African Methodist Episcopal church in the neighboring city of Monroeville, Pennsylvania.

As the above list suggest, probably most but not all of the Black (African American) churches that include the name "Bethel" are part of the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) denomination.

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INFORMATION ABOUT MOTHER BETHEL CHURCH IN PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mother_Bethel_A.M.E._Church
"The Mother Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church is a historic church and congregation at 419 South 6th Street in Center City Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. The congregation, founded in 1794, is the oldest African Methodist Episcopal congregation in the nation. Its present church, completed in 1890, is the oldest church property in the United States to be continuously owned by African Americans.[3] It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1972.[1]

History of the congregation
The church was organized by African-American members of St. George's Methodist Church who walked out due to racial segregation in the worship services. Mother Bethel was one of the first African-American churches in the United States, dedicated July 29, 1794, by Bishop Francis Asbury. On October 12, 1794, Reverend Robert Blackwell announced that the congregation was received in full fellowship in the Methodist Episcopal Church. In 1816 Rev Richard Allen brought together other black Methodist congregations from the region to organize the new African Methodist Episcopal Church denomination. He was elected bishop of this denomination. After the American Civil War, its missionaries went to the South to help freedmen and planted many new churches in the region.

In 1838, the building was damaged during the riots that followed the destruction of Pennsylvania Hall.

Allen and his wife, Sarah Allen are both buried in the present church's crypt.[4] The current church building was constructed in 1888-1890, and it has been designated a National Historic Landmark."...
-snip-
*I added italics to highlight this sentence. Besides the "House of God" meaning of the Hebrew word "Bethel", I wonder if this partly explains why "Bethel" is frequently found in the names of Black (African American) churches.

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ADDENDUM- INFORMATION ABOUT AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African_Methodist_Episcopal_Church
"The African Methodist Episcopal Church, usually called the A.M.E. Church or AME, is a predominantly African-American Methodist denomination. It is the first independent Protestant denomination to be founded by black people.[4] It was founded by the Rt. Rev. Richard Allen in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1816 from several black Methodist congregations in the mid-Atlantic area that wanted independence from white Methodists. It was among the first denominations in the United States to be founded on racial rather than theological distinctions and has persistently advocated for the civil and human rights of African Americans through social improvement, religious autonomy, and political engagement. Allen, a deacon in Methodist Episcopal Church, was consecrated its first bishop in 1816 by a conference of five churches from Philadelphia to Baltimore. The denomination then expanded west and south, particularly after the Civil War. By 1906, the AME had a membership of about 500,000, more than the combined total of the Colored Methodist Episcopal Church in America and the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, making it the largest major African-American Methodist denomination. The AME currently has 20 districts, each with its own bishop: 13 are based in the United States, mostly in the South, while seven are based in Africa. The global membership of the AME is around 2.5 million and it remains one of the largest Methodist denominations in the world."....

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Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

dited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post provides information about the word "Zion" and the common inclusion of "Zion" in the names of historic and present day Black (African American) churches.

The Addendum to this post also provides information about the African Methodist Episcopal Zion denomination, a historically African American Christian denomination.

The content of this post is published for education, religious, and cultural purposes.

Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.
-snip-
This is the second post in an ongoing pancocojams series on this blog of common Black (African American) church names.

Click the "common Black church names" tag to find other posts in this series.

Also, click the closely related tags "American religious songs with Zion in their title" and "Reggae songs that have Zion in their title".

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE WORD "ZION"
Excerpt #1
https://www.christianity.com/wiki/bible/what-is-the-meaning-of-zion-in-the-bible.htmlhttps://www.christianity.com/wiki/bible/what-is-the-meaning-of-zion-in-the-bible.html
"What Is the Meaning of Zion in the Bible? by Candice Lucey
The ancient Hebrew word Tsiyon (Zion) is “a Canaanite hill fortress in Jerusalem captured by David and called in the Bible ‘City of David.’" Zion can refer to one of three places: the hill where the most ancient areas of Jerusalem stood; the city of Jerusalem itself; or the dwelling place of God.

[...]

Zion in the Bible
Old Testament

The Bible’s first reference talks about “the fortress of Zion—which is the City of David.” (2 Samuel 5:7).

Plenty of Psalms mention Zion, the Lord’s “holy mountain” (Psalm 2:6), the place where the Lord is “enthroned” (Psalm 9:11), and from which David yearns for salvation to emerge (Psalm 9:14).

Isaiah is another prolific source: “Those who are left in Zion, who remain in Jerusalem, will be called holy” (Isaiah 4:3); “gifts will be brought to Mount Zion, the place of the Name of the Lord Almighty.” (Isaiah 18:7)

Zion appears numerous times in other books of the Old Testament including Lamentations, Jeremiah, and Micah.

New Testament

New Testament writers Matthew, John, and Paul quote what has already been written in the Old Testament when they speak of Zion.

“In Zion a stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall, and the one who believes in him will never be put to shame.” (Romans 9:33) 1 Peter 2:6 says this stone in Zion is Jesus, “a chosen and precious cornerstone.”

In his vision of end times, John saw “on Mount Zion stood the Lamb, and with him 144,0000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads.” (Revelation 14:1)

Commentators indicate that “Daughter of Zion” from Isaiah 1:8 means “the daughter of God’s people.” David Kowalski explains how this verse is “expressive of the tenderness with which the Lord had regarded the relation [...] he had established between Jerusalem (as representing His people) and Himself.” "...

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Excerpt #2
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zion
"Zion (Hebrew: צִיּוֹן‎ Ṣîyōn, LXX Σιών, also variously transliterated Sion,[2] Tzion, Tsion, Tsiyyon[3]) is a placename in the Hebrew Bible used as a synonym for Jerusalem[4][5] as well as for the Land of Israel as a whole (see Names of Jerusalem).

The name is found in 2 Samuel (5:7), one of the books of the Hebrew Bible dated to before or close to the mid-6th century BCE. It originally referred to a specific hill in Jerusalem (Mount Zion), located to the south of Mount Moriah (the Temple Mount). According to the narrative of 2 Samuel 5, Mount Zion held the Jebusite fortress of the same name that was conquered by David and was re-named the City of David. That specific hill ("mount") is one of the many squat hills that form Jerusalem, which also includes Mount Moriah (the Temple Mount), the Mount of Olives, etc. Over many centuries, until as recently as the Ottoman era, the city walls of Jerusalem were rebuilt many times in new locations, so that the particular hill known as Mount Zion is no longer inside the city wall, but its location is now just outside the portion of the Old City wall forming the southern boundary of the Jewish Quarter of the current Old City. Most of the original City of David itself is thus also outside the current city wall.

The term Tzion came to designate the area of Davidic Jerusalem where the fortress stood, and was used as well as synecdoche for the entire city of Jerusalem; and later, when Solomon's Temple was built on the adjacent Mount Moriah (which, as a result, came to be known as the Temple Mount) the meanings of the term Tzion were further extended by synecdoche to the additional meanings of the Temple itself, the hill upon which the Temple stood, the entire city of Jerusalem, the entire biblical Land of Israel, and "the World to Come", the Jewish understanding of the afterlife.”...

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ADDENDUM- INFORMATION ABOUT THE "AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL ZION" DENOMINATION
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African_Methodist_Episcopal_Zion_Church
"The African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, or the AME Zion Church or AMEZ, is a historically African-American Christian denomination based in the United States. It was officially formed in 1821 in New York City, but operated for a number of years before then.

History
The origins of this church can be traced to the John Street Methodist Church of New York City. Following acts of overt discrimination in New York (such as black parishioners being forced to leave worship), many black Christians left to form their own churches. The first church founded by the AME Zion Church was built in 1800 and was named Zion; one of the founders was William Hamilton, a prominent orator and abolitionist. These early black churches still belonged to the Methodist Episcopal Church denomination, although the congregations were independent. During the Great Awakening, the Methodists and Baptists had welcomed free blacks and slaves to their congregations and as preachers.

The fledgling Zion church grew, and soon multiple churches developed from the original congregation. These churches were attended by black congregants, but ministered to by white ordained Methodist ministers. In 1820, six of the churches met to ordain James Varick as an elder, and in 1821 he was made the first General Superintendent of the AME Zion Church. A debate raged in the white-dominated Methodist church over accepting black ministers. This debate ended on July 30, 1822, when James Varick was ordained as the first bishop of the AME Zion church, a newly independent denomination. The total membership in 1866 was about 42,000.[1] Two years later, it claimed 164,000 members, as it sent missionaries to the South after the American Civil War to plant new churches with the newly emancipated freedmen.[2] The A.M.E. Zion Church had been part of the Abolitionist movement and became known as the Freedom Church, because it was associated with the period after emancipation of the slaves.

Black churches were integral in helping build communities and develop leadership among the freedmen in the South. Later they played an increasingly powerful role in the civil rights movement of the mid-20th century. AMEZ remained smaller than the AME (African Methodist Episcopal Church, a denomination started in Philadelphia in the early 19th century) because some of its ministers lacked the authority to perform marriages, and many of its ministers avoided political roles. Its finances were weak, and in general its leadership was not as strong as that of the AME. However it was the leader among all Protestant denominations in ordaining women and giving them powerful roles in the church.[3]

An influential leader bishop was James Walker Hood (1831–1918) of North Carolina. He not only created and fostered his network of AMEZ churches in North Carolina, but he also was the grand master for the entire South of the Prince Hall Freemasonry, a secular black fraternal organization that strengthened the political and economic forces inside the black community.[4] Hood Theological Seminary in Salisbury, North Carolina is named in this bishop's honor.[5]

In 1924 Cameron Chesterfield Alleyne became the church's first resident bishop in Africa.[6]

Notes
The AME Zion Church is not to be confused with the similarly named African Methodist Episcopal Church, which was officially formed in 1816 by Richard Allen and Daniel Coker in Philadelphia. The denomination was made up of AME churches in the Philadelphia region, including Delaware and New Jersey."...

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Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post presents information about the Christian hymn "Old Ship Of Zion" and showcases five YouTube examples of African Americans singing that hymn.

The content of this post is presented for religious, cultural, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to the composers of this song and thanks to all those who are showcased in this post. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publishers of these examples on YouTube.
-snip-
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2013/04/two-versions-of-old-ship-of-zion.html for the 2013 pancocojams post entitled "Two Versions Of "Old Ship Of Zion" (The Roberta Martin Singers & Jackson Southernaires)". That post includes the lyrics for these two versions of this hymn.
-snip-
-snip-
Several online sources mistakenly indicate that "Old Ship Of Zion" is a "Negro Spiritual". There are some African American Spirituals which have been given the title "Tis The Old Ship Of Zion", but their lyrics are different from the songs that are showcased in this pancocojams post.

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2020/01/lyrics-for-african-american-spiritual.html for a pancocojams post of the Spiritual "Tis The Old Ship Of Zion".

The lyrics to the hymn "Old Ship Of Zion" which are showcased in this post are credited to M. J. Cartwright who composed it around 1889. I don't know whether M/ J. Cartwright, the composer of the hymn"Old Ship Of Zion" knew the "Tis The Old Ship Of Zion"Spiritual, but it's certainly likely.

Instead of referring to these "Old Ship Of Zion" songs as Spirituals, I would categorize them as "gospelized hymns", meaning hymns that are sung in a Gospel style.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE COMPOSERS OF THE HYMN "OLD SHIP OF ZION"
Excerpt #1:
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Old_Ship_of_Zion
"The Old Ship of Zion" is a Christian hymn written by M. J. Cartwright sometime around 1889 (exact date not known), played to a tune written by Daniel B. Towner."...

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Excerpt #2
From https://web.archive.org/web/20100616104656/http://pdmusic.org/biographies/Cartwright%20M%20J%20Cartwright.pdf
"The most likely person to have been the ["Old Ship Of Zion"] hymn-writer M.J. Cartwright was:
Miriah J. Cartwright, 1841-1926.
Born: November 25, 1841.
Died: August 18, 1926.
Buried: Union Cemetery, Butler County, Kentucky.

Mariah J. Cartwright was 59-years old at the time of the 1900 U.S. Federal Census, which showed her residing in
Butler County, Kentucky. (1)

Cartwright is known to have written the words for one hymn. Miriah J. Cartwright would have been about 48-years old when the hymn was copyrighted.

The Old Ship Zion. © 1889 Daniel B. Towner. Music: Daniel Brink Towner, 1850-1919. In Daniel B. Towner and Chas.
M. Alexander. Revival Hymns, #122. (Chicago: The Bible Institute Colportage Association. 1905.) Later in The Ideal Song and Hymn Book. Compiled by: D.B. Towner. (New York: Fleming H. Revell Company. 1909.)

Inserting the word 'of' into the phrase taken from the 1st line of stanza 2, this hymn's title has been changed to The Old Ship of Zion. It also appeared under tilte of Ship Ahoy! in John Peterson and Harold DeCou. Sing Men! Volume Four, #6. (Wheaton, Illinois: Singspiration. 1956.)

1) 1900 United States Federal Census.

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SHOWCASE EXAMPLES OF "OLD SHIP OF ZION"
Example #1: Bessie Griffin: Old Ship Of Zion



PurpleSnowman, Jul 10, 2008

Here is another heart stirring performance singing an old baptist hymnal "Old ship of zion"

Background vocals: Deloris Barrett Campbell, Charles Barnett & Jessy Dixon

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Example #2: Example #5: Rev C.L Franklin- "The Old Ship Of Zion"



DaSourcespr06, Jul 15, 2008

The Rev C.L Franklin of New Bethel Baptist Church with "The Old Ship of Zion'. Listening to this, one can see why he was called "The Man With the million dollar vocals"!
-snip-
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C._L._Franklin
"Clarence LaVaughn Franklin (born Clarence LaVaughn Walker; January 22, 1915 – July 27, 1984) was an American Baptist minister and civil rights activist.[2] Known as the man with the "Million-Dollar Voice", Franklin served as the pastor of New Bethel Baptist Church in Detroit, Michigan, from 1946 until he was shot and wounded in 1979. Franklin was also the father of the American singer and songwriter Aretha Franklin."...

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Example #3: Pilgrim Jubilees singing "old Ship of Zion"



Gospellin, Feb 26, 2009

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Example #4: Tis the Old Ship of Zion (a must watch) Part 1



Poohdalu, Feb 27, 2010

Watch and listen to Pastor Robert Welch sing this old time hymn! Make sure you watch out for part 2!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAWG0l-9wsg&t=13s [This video highlights the pastor’s prayer after singing this hymn.]

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Example #5: The Old Ship of Zion - Daughter Maitland (Margot Bingham) - Boardwalk Empire



xyrial, Nov 6, 2013

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Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post presents lyrics for the African American Spiritual "Tis The Old Ship Of Zion".*

The content of this post is presented for religious, cultural, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to the unknown composers of this song and thanks to all those who are showcased in this post. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post.
-snip-
*This song shouldn't be confused with the Christian hymn "Old Ship Of Zion" that was composed around 1889 by M. J. Cartwright. I don't know whether M. J. Cartwright, the composer of the hymn"Old Ship Of Zion" knew the "Tis The Old Ship Of Zion"Spiritual, but it's certainly likely.

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2020/01/gospelized-versions-of-hymn-old-ship-of.html for information about that hymn and examples of African Americans performing gospelized versions of that hymn.

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EXCERPTS FROM A MUDCAT DISCUSSION FORUM THREAD ON THE SPIRITUAL "TIS THE OLD SHIP OF ZION"
I've added numbers to selected comments from this discussion thread for referencing purposes only. Those numbers aren't given in that forum and aren't the same as how those comments are shown in that forum as these are only selected examples of those comments.

1. Subject: Lyr Add: OLD SHIP OF ZION (spiritual)
From: Dicho (Frank Staplin)
Date: 10 Nov 01 - 06:24 PM

"OLD SHIP OF ZION I

What ship is this that's landed at the shore?
Oh, Glory Hallelujah!
It's the old ship of Zion, hallelujah!
It's the old ship of Zion, hallelujah!

Is the mast all sure, and the timber all sound?
Oh, Glory, hallelujah!
She's built of gospel timber, hallelujah!
She's built, etc.

What kind of men does she have on board?
Oh, Glory Hallelujah!
They're all true-hearted soldiers, hallelujah!
They're all etc.

What kind of captain does she have on board?
Oh, Glory Hallelujah!
King Jesus is the captain, Hallelujah!
King Jesus etc.

Oh, do you think she will be able to land us on the shore?
Oh, Glory Hallelujah!
I think she will be able, Hallelujah!
I think etc.

She has landed over thousands, and can land as many more,
Oh, Glory Hallelujah! etc.

Written down in 1850, this fragment from Cincinnati is one of the earliest recorded spirituals. In Dena Epstein, 1977, Spiritual Tunes and Spirituals: Black Folk Music to the Civil War, Univ. Illinois Press.
@religion @spiritual

THE OLD SHIP OF ZION II

What ship is that you're enlisted upon?
Oh, Glory hallelujah!
'Tis the old ship of Zion, hallelujah!
'Tis the old ship of Zion, hallelujah!

And who is the captain of the ship that you're on?
My Saviour is the captain, hallelujah! etc.

The above fragment from Maryland, printed 1860, was reproduced in Allen, 1867, Slave Songs of the United States.
@religion @spiritual

THE OLD SHIP OF ZION III

Cho.
Don't you see that ship a-sailin',
Gwine over to the Promised Land?
I asked my Lord, shall I ever be the one,
Shall I ever be the one, shall I ever be the one,
To go sailin', sailin', sailin', sailin',
Gwine over to the Promised Land?

2. She sails like she is heavy-loaded, etc.
3. King Jesus is the captain, etc.
4. The Holy Ghost is the pilot, etc.

The above, from North Carolina, is in Allen, 1867, Slave Songs of the United States.
@religion @spiritual

THE SHIP OF ZION IV

Come along, come along, and let us go home,
O, glory hallelujah!
Dis de old ship of Zion, Halleloo! Halleloo!
Dis de old ship of Zion, Hallelujah!

She has landed many a tousand,
She can land as many more.
O, glory Hallelujah! etc.

Do you tink she will be able,
For to take us all home?
O glory, hallelujah! etc.

You can tell 'em I'm a-coming, Halleloo! Halleloo!
You can tell 'em I'm a-coming, Hallelujah!
Come along, come along, etc.

From T. W. Higginson, 1867

THE SHIP OF ZION V

Dis de good old ship o' Zion, (3 times)
An' she's makin' for de Promise Land.

She hab angels for de sailors (3 times)
An' she's makin' for de Promise Land.

An' how you know dey's angels? (3 times)
An' she's etc.

Good Lord, shall I be de one? (3 times)
An' she's etc.

Dat ship is out a-sailin', sailin', sailin',
An' she's etc.
She's a-sailin' mighty steady, steady, steady,
An' she's etc.
She'll neither reel nor totter, totter, totter,
An' she's etc.
She's a-sailin' away cold Jordan, Jordan, Jordan,
An' she's etc.
King Jesus is de captain, captain, captain,
An' she's making for de Promise Land.

From T. W. Higginson, 1867

THE SHIP OF ZION VI

De gospel ship is sailin', Hosann-sann.
O, Jesus is de captain, Hosann-sann.
De angels are de sailors, Hosann-sann
O, is your bundle ready? Hosann-sann.
O, have you got your ticket? Hosann-sann.

Versions 4-6 from T. W. Higginson, Negro Spirituals, Atlantic Monthly, 1867.
See Fenner, Dett and others for other early versions.

OLD SHIP OF ZION VII

Cho.
It is that old ship of Zion, (3 times)
Get on board! get on board!

It has landed many a thousand, (3 times)
Get on board! Get on board!
Cho.
It has landed my old mother, etc.
It has landed my old father, etc.
Ain't no danger on this vessel, etc.
(Ain't no danger in this water, etc. variant)
She is moving very slowly, etc.
I'm so glad I got my ticket, etc.
My old mother is waiting for me, etc.
It has landed many a thousand, etc.
(Repeat 1st verse at end)

Sung by Gentry Young Bennet, Merryville, LA. In other versions, Zion "stretched," Zi-o-en. Usually sung slowly. "Git on board little children" chorus sometimes added. John and Ruby Lomax 1939 Southern States recording Trip.
@religion @spiritual.

Putting Old Ship of Zion into DT and Forum Search will yield gospel versions."
-snip-
"DT" = Digital Tradition, a listing of titles and lyrics of songs that are shared by members of Mudcat folk music forum.

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2. Subject: Lyr Add: OLD SHIP OF ZION (DON'T YE VIEW DAT SHIP)
From: Dicho (Frank Staplin)
Date: 10 Nov 01 - 08:36 PM

"OLD SHIP OF ZION VIII
(DON'T YE VIEW DAT SHIP)

Don't ye view dat ship a come a sailin'? Hallelujah!
Don't ye view dat ship a come a sailin'? (3 times)
Don't ye view dat ship a come a sailin'? Hallelujah!

Dat ship is heavy loaded, Hallelujah!
Dat ship is havy loaded, (3 times)
Dat ship is heavy loaded, Hallelujah!

She neither reels nor totters, Hallelujah! etc.

She is loaded with bright angels, Hallelujah! etc.

Oh, how do you know dey are angels? Hallelujah! etc.

I know dem by-a de'r mournin', Hallelujah! etc.

Oh, yonder comes my Jesus, Hallelujah! etc.

Oh, how do you know it's Jesus? Hallelujah! etc.

I know him by-a His shinin', Hallelujah! etc.

Chorus: Indicated as 1st verse plus 1st line of second verse.

From Fifty Cabin and Plantation Songs, 1874, Thomas P. Fenner, Hampton Inst.
@religion @spiritual"

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3. Subject: Lyr Add: OLD SHIP OF ZION IX
From: Dicho (Frank Staplin)
Date: 10 Nov 01 - 10:58 PM

"OLD SHIP OF ZION IX

What ship is this that will take us all home?
Oh, glory, hallelujah!
And safely land us on Canaan's bright shore?
Oh, glory hallelujah!

Cho.
'Tis the old ship of Zion, hallelujah!

The winds may blow and the billows may foam,
Oh, glory, hallelujah!
But she is able to land us all home.
Oh, glory, hallelujah!
Cho.
She landed all who have gone before,
Oh, glory hallelujah!
And yet she is able to land still more,
Oh, glory hallelujah!
Cho.
If I arrive there before you do,
Oh, glory hallelujah!
I'll tell them that you are coming up, too.
Oh, glory, hallelujah!
Cho.

Sacred Harp version, tune Thomas W. Carter, 1844. From http://fasola.org/index/L/079.html
@religion @gospel"

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3. Subject: Lyr Add: DE OLE SHIP OB ZION
From: Dicho (Frank Staplin)
Date: 20 Nov 01 - 08:35 PM

"DE OLE SHIP OB ZION

De day did break an' de sun did rise,
I'se gwine to lib wid de Lamb!
An' I seen dem angels up in de skies,
I'se gwine to lib wid de Lamb.
O de ole ship ob Zion is a-gwine to sail,
I'se gwine to lib wid de Lamb.
An' she's only waitin' for de Gospel gale,
I'se gwine to lib wid de Lamb.
Cho.
Yes, I'se done quit all my worldly ways,
Done quit all my worldly ways,
Yes, done quit all my worldly ways,
I'se gwine to lib wid de Lamb.

De anchor's weighed an' de sails are set,
I'se gwine to lib wid de Lamb!
An' soon we're a-gwine to sail, don' you fret,
I'se gwine to lib wid de Lamb!
De Keptin an' crew dey am comin' on board,
I'se gwine to lib wid de Lamb,
De chorus am a-singin' an' praisin' de Lord.
I'se gwine to lib wid de Lamb.
Cho.
Let's stop a moment befo' we go,
I'se gwine to lib wid de Lamb.
Tro' out a plank, gib de sinners a show,
I'se gwine to lib wid de Lamb.
Gospel band am a-gwine to play,
I'se gwine to lib wid de Lamb.
As soon as de ship am a-sailin' away,
I'se gwine to lib wid de Lamb.
Cho.

Composed by Sam Lucas (b. 1848) and published 1881?, in Ethiopian Jubilee and Minstrel Songs along with 19 others by various composers. From African-American Sheet Music Collection, 1850-1920, Brown University; American Memory, Library of Congress website. Whether the song was arranged for minstrelsy or for gospel use is not clear. Only the birth date of the composer is given.
@religion @gospel? @minstrel"

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4. Subject: RE: Lyr Add: OLD SHIP OF ZION (spiritual)
From: Dicho (Frank Staplin)
Date: 20 Nov 01 - 08:47 PM

"Sam Lucas was Afro-American. He formed a minstrel troupe that toured widely in the 1860s and 1870s. He was the first Afro-American to play Uncle Tom in Uncle Tom's Cabin and toured with the play Out of Bondage."

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5. Subject: RE: Lyr Add: OLD SHIP OF ZION (spiritual)
From: Dicho (Frank Staplin)
Date: 20 Nov 01 - 08:53 PM

"Sam Lucas played Uncle Tom in the 1914 silent film, Uncle Tom's Cabin. The video is available from Grapevinevideo.com."

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6. Subject: RE: Lyr Add: OLD SHIP OF ZION (spiritual)
From: Dicho (Frank Staplin)
Date: 20 Dec 01 - 12:17 AM

"Newman L. White, in American Negro Folk Songs, 1928 (rep. 1965) says the earliest mention of the song that he found is in: Sarah Josepha Hale, 1853, "Liberia, or Mr. Peyton's Experiment,""where it is sung by both white people and Negroes as a familiar camp-meeting song." In white songbooks, it appears in the Zion Songster, 2ed., 1827."

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7. Subject: Lyr Add: THE OLD SHIP OF ZION
From: Q (Frank Staplin)
Date: 02 Aug 07 - 10:40 PM

"Lyr. Add: THE OLD SHIP OF ZION (XIII)

Oh! eb'rything's ready,-
De wind is steady,
An' de folks keep a-crowdin' to the gospel ship;
'Tis the best time to ride
On de Jordan tide-
Dar's no use o' waitin' for de 'scursion trip!

Dey's a-loosenin' de line,
An' soon she'll be gwine,
For yonder come de deck-hands to push her off de bank;
She's a-puffin'! she's a-puffin'!
An' she nebber waits for nuffin'-
Better git abode, sinners, 'fo' dey pull in de plank!

Another of the many versions of this old song. From The Century Magazine, March 1882, vol. 23 no. 5, p. 797.
No information published with the poem.

http://cdl.library.cornell.edu/gifcache/moa/cent/cent0023/00815.TIF6.gif"

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Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post presents information about what the words "Zion" and "Babylon" mean to Rastafarians. Because Rastafarians have greatly influenced Reggae music, this information also answers the question "What do the word "Zion" and "Babylon" mean in Reggae music?"

The content of this post is presented for educational, cultural, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.

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EXCERPTS ABOUT THE MEANING OF "ZION" AND "BABYLON" FOR RASTAFARIANS/IN REGGAE MUSIC
These excerpts are given in no particular order and are numbered for referencing purposes only.

Excerpt #1
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zion#Rastafari_movement
"Rastafari movement
“I say fly away home to Zion, fly away home...One bright morning when my work is over, man will fly away home... ”
— Rastaman Chant, The Wailers

In Rastafari, "Zion" stands for a utopian place of unity, peace and freedom, as opposed to "Babylon", the oppressing and exploiting system of the materialistic modern world and a place of evil.[18]

It proclaims Zion, as reference to Ethiopia, the original birthplace of humankind, and from the beginning of the movement calls to repatriation to Zion, the Promised Land and Heaven on Earth.[19] Some Rastafari believe themselves to represent the real Children of Israel in modern times, and their goal is to repatriate to Ethiopia, or to Zion. The Ge'ez-language Kebra Nagast serves as inspiration for the idea that the "Glory of Zion" transferred from Jerusalem to Ethiopia in the time of Solomon and Sheba, c. 950 BC.

Rastafari reggae contains many references to Zion; among the best-known examples are the Bob Marley songs "Zion Train", "Iron Lion Zion", the Bunny Wailer song "Rastaman" ("The Rasta come from Zion, Rastaman a Lion!"), The Melodians song "Rivers of Babylon" (based on Psalm 137, where the captivity of Babylon is contrasted with the freedom in Zion), the Bad Brains song "Leaving Babylon", the Damian Marley song featuring Nas "Road to Zion", The Abyssinians'"Forward Unto Zion" and Kiddus I's "Graduation in Zion", which is featured in the 1977 cult roots rock reggae film Rockers, and "Let's Go to Zion" by Winston Francis. Reggae groups such as Steel Pulse and Cocoa Tea also have many references to Zion in their various songs.

The Jewish longing for Zion, starting with the deportation and enslavement of Jews during the Babylonian captivity, was adopted as a metaphor by Christian black slaves in the United States.[citation needed][year needed] Thus, Zion symbolizes a longing by wandering peoples for a safe homeland. This could be an actual place such as Ethiopia for Rastafari or Israel for some[citation needed] of the Igbos in Nigeria".
-snip-
Read the comment below about Igbo Jews and Israel.

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Excerpt #2:
From https://jamaicans.com/believe/
"What Do Rastafarians Believe" by Staff Writer, 2003
"Below are some of the main foundational beliefs of Rastafarians. The other articles will provide some of the other beliefs and standards

Rastafarians believe that God is a spirit and that this spirit was manifested in King H.I.M. Emperor Haile Selassie I.
-Rastafarians believe that Jesus was a direct descendant of King David and was black.

-Rastafarians believe that the Ethiopian Solomonic Dynasty is a direct representation of King David.

-Rastafarians believe that they are the original Lost Tribes of Israel that were once scattered by Babylon until the appearance of His Imperial Majesty Emperor Haile Selassie I.

-Rastafarians believe that God will return them to Zion (Rastafarians refer to Ethiopia as Zion).

-Rastafarians believe that Ethiopia is the Promised Land and that it is Heaven on Earth.
The White Man took them away from the Promised Land (Ethiopia/Zion) as slaves to Babylon and a Babylonian system. (Please note that some Rastafarians will say Pink people vs. White people)"

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Excerpt #3
From https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/the-ties-that-bind-reggae-rastafari-judaism-and-israel/"The Ties That Bind: Reggae, Rastafari, Judaism and Israel" by Masimba Musodza, November 30, 2015
..."For Rastafarians, the physical “Zion” is Ethiopia, the land of the dynasty of Mennelik I, son of King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba. In the Kebra Naghast, the Ethiopian text that narrates in greater detail the story of the union of Solomon and Makeda (the Queen of Sheba), King Solomon predicts that the Psalmic verse Ethiopia shall stretch forth her hands unto the Lord shall be fulfilled through a man, begotten of his bloodline. For Rastafarians, this man is Emperor Haile Selassie I. Because we have our own parallel Zion as it were, we do not claim the land of Israel or the city of Jerusalem as the Muslims do. The closest to a heritage site in Israel that we could call ours would be the house that Empress Manan lived in during the Imperial family’s exile following the Italian invasion in the 1930s. Our beliefs cannot be compared to Christian Replacement Theology, as we do not deny the Jewish people, or their claim to Israel.”...

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Excerpt #4
From https://www.reddit.com/r/explainlikeimfive/comments/8rdew6/eli5_why_does_reggae_music_seem_to_mention_zion/
"Why does reggae music seem to mention Zion and Babylon a lot?
Amoeba, 2018
Reggae is closely tied to the Rastafarian religion. Babylon represents the evils of modern society & oppression while Zion represents the promised land to which they want to escape.

**
cemaphonrd, 2018
In particular, given Jamacia's history of slavery and colonial exploitation, the Rastafarian religion draws a lot of imagery from the parts of the Old Testament that deals with the period when Jerusalem was sacked by the Babylonian Empire, and many of its inhabitants were held as captives/slaves in Babylon.

**
SeriouslyCamel, 2018
Thank you for this concise explanation - suddenly after all these years ‘By the Rivers of Babylon’ finally makes sense to me!"

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Visitor comments are welcome.

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post provides information about the words "Macedonia", "Shiloh", and Ebenezer which are frequently individually used in names of African American churches.

The content of this post is published for education, religious, and cultural purposes.

Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.
-snip-
This is the third post in an ongoing pancocojams series on this blog of common Black (African American) church names.

Click the "common Black church names" tag to find other posts in this series.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE WORD "MACEDONIA"
Excerpt #1:
From https://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionary/macedonia/
"Macedonia
in New Testament times, was a Roman province lying north of Greece. It was governed by a propraetor with the title of proconsul. Paul was summoned by the vision of the "man of Macedonia" to preach the gospel there ( Acts 16:9 ). Frequent allusion is made to this event ( 18:5 ; 19:21 ; Romans 15:26 ; 2 co. 1:16 ; 11:9 ; Phil 4:15 ). The history of Paul's first journey through Macedonia is given in detail in Acts 16:10-17:15. . At the close of this journey he returned from Corinth to Syria. He again passed through this country ( 20:1-6 ), although the details of the route are not given. After many years he probably visited it for a third time (Phil 2:24 ; 1 Timothy 1:3 ). The first convert made by Paul in Europe was ( Acts 16:13-15 ) Lydia (q.v.), a "seller of purple," residing in Philippi, the chief city of the eastern division of Macedonia."...

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Excerpt #2
From https://www.abarim-publications.com/Meaning/Macedonia.html#.XisRqWhKi70
"Macedonia meaning
It's not directly clear whether Macedonia was named after the adjective for far-off, or else long because of the shape of the land or of its inhabitants. For a meaning of the name Macedonia, Spiros Zodhiates (The Complete Wordstudy Dictionary from 1992) reads Extended Land, but Nigel Guy Wilson (Encyclopedia of Ancient Greece from 2009) states "The latest archaeological findings have confirmed that Macedonia took its name from a tribe of tall, Greek-speaking people, the Makednoi". That would make the meaning of Macedonia The Land Of The Tall”

The apostles Paul and Silas went to Macedonia after Paul had received a vision of a Macedonian (Μακεδων, Makedon), who implored him to come and help them (ACTS 16:9). They went and landed first in Neapolis (16:11) and then travelled to in Philippi, a Roman colony, and stayed there for some days (16:12). They met Lydia of Thyatira there (19:14), but were imprisoned when Paul expelled a demon from a slave girl (16:18). After they were freed they stayed with Lydia and then continued to other Macedonian cities: Amphipolis, Apollonia and Thessalonica (17:1), and Berea (17:10).

While in Asia-minor, Paul wanted to go to Jerusalem and then Rome, and sent Timothy and Erastus to Macedonia (19:22). Later Paul wanted to return to Macedonia (20:1) and arrived again in Philippi (20:6), and it appears he went at least once more to Macedonia (PHILIPPIANS 2:24, 1 TIMOTHY 1:3).

Altogether, the name Macedonia occurs 27 times in the New Testament"...
-snip-
Click https://sarata.com/bible/verses/about/macedonia.html for a list of examples of Bible verses that refer to Macedonia.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE WORD "SHILOH"
Excerpt #1
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shiloh_(biblical_city)
"Shiloh (/ˈʃaɪloʊ/; Hebrew: שִׁלוֹ ,שִׁילֹה ,שִׁלֹה, and שִׁילוֹ variably) was an ancient city in Samaria mentioned in the Hebrew Bible and Christian Old Testament. It has been positively identified with modern Khirbet Seilun, a tell or archaeological mound, called in Modern Hebrew Tel Shiloh. It is located in the West Bank, to the west of the modern Israeli settlement town of Shilo and to the north of the Palestinian town of Turmus Ayya...

Shiloh was the major Israelite worship centre before the first Temple was built in Jerusalem.

[...]

Location
Mentioned in the Books of Joshua, Judges, 1 Samuel, 1 Kings, Psalms, and Jeremiah, Shiloh is situated north of Bethel, east of the Bethel–Shechem highway, and south of Lebonah in the hill-country of Ephraim in the tribal territorial allotment of the tribe of Ephraim. (Judg. 21:19)....

History
Bronze Age
Long before the advent of the Israelites, Shiloh was a walled city with a religious shrine or sanctuary during Middle and Late Bronze Age Canaan.[5]

Iron Age
Hebrew Bible narrative

Location and remains of the Tabernacle - at Shiloh, 2019
When the Israelites arrived in the land, they set up there the ancient wilderness tent shrine (the Tent of Meeting: Heb. Ohel-Mo'ed). There Joshua and Eleazar divided the land among the tribes who had not yet received their allocation (Joshua 18:1–10) and dealt with the allocation of cities to the Levites (Joshua 21:1–8).
Subsequently, Shiloh became one of the leading religious shrines in ancient Israel, a status it held until shortly before David's elevation of Jerusalem.[6]

The whole congregation of Israel assembled together at Shiloh and set up the tent (or tabernacle) of the congregation there.

— Joshua 18:1.[a]

The tabernacle had been built under Moses' direction from God (Exodus 26) to house the Ark of the Covenant, also built under Moses' direction from God (Exodus 25). According to Talmudic sources, the tent sanctuary remained at Shiloh for 369 years [7] until the Ark of the Covenant was taken into the battle camp at Eben-Ezer (1 Samuel 4:3–5) and captured by the Philistines at Aphek (probably Antipatris). At some point during its long stay at Shiloh, the portable tent seems to have been enclosed within a compound — a Greek "temenos". It was at Shiloh that Eli and Samuel ministered (1 Samuel 3:21) and Shiloh was the site of a physical structure that had "doors" (1 Samuel 3:21). At some point, the Tent of Meeting was moved to Gibeon,[8] which became an Israelite holy site under David and Solomon.

Shiloh was one of the main centers of Israelite worship during the pre-monarchic period,[9] by virtue of the presence there of the Tent Shrine and Ark of the Covenant. The people made pilgrimages there for major feasts and sacrifices, and Judges 21 records the place as the site of an annual dance of maidens among the vineyards."...
-snip-
Click https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ark_of_the_Covenant
for information about the Ark of the Covenant

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE WORD "EBENEZER"
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eben-Ezer
"Eben-Ezer (Hebrew: אבן העזר‎, ’eḇen hā-‘ezer, "the stone of help") is the name of a location that is mentioned by the Books of Samuel as the scene of battles between the Israelites and Philistines. It is specified as having been less than a day's journey by foot from Shiloh, near Aphek, in the neighbourhood of Mizpah, near the western entrance of the pass of Bethoron. However, its location has not been identified in modern times with much certainty, with some identifying it with Beit Iksa, and others with Dayr Aban.[1]

Historical mentions
It appears in the Books of Samuel in two narratives:

In the first narrative (1 Samuel 4:1-11), the Philistines defeat the Israelites, even though the Israelites brought the Ark of the Covenant onto the battlefield in hope of it bringing them a divinely assured victory. As a result of the Philistine victory and the Ark's presence on the battlefield, it was captured by the Philistines, and not returned until many months later (1 Samuel 6:1-2).

In the second narrative (1 Samuel 7:2-14), the Israelites defeat the Philistines, after Samuel has offered a sacrifice. Samuel puts up a stone in memorial and names it Eben-Ezer (the placename in the previous narrative resulting from this). This monument is referred to in the hymn Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing.[2]"....

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Visitor comments are welcome.

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post provides information about the names "Mt. Olive", "Antioch", "Mt. Carmel" And "Mt. Moriah" that are frequently individually used as names of African American churches.*

This is the third post in a pancocojams series about frequently used Black (African American) church names.

*Except for churches whose names include the denominations African Methodist Episcopal (AME) or African Methodist Episcopal Zion (AME Zion), the church names given in these posts may be given to churches that aren't historically African American or aren't presently predominately African American.

The church names featured in these pancocojams posts were selected from articles such as "10 Historic Black Southern Churches to Visit"https://blacksouthernbelle.com/10-historic-black-southern-churches-visit/ and "Historic African American Churches"https://www.blackpast.org/special-features/historic-african-american-churches/. In addition, the church names that I've selected for this series is based on my experience as an African American who noticed the same church names in a number of cities I lived in or visited.

These lists don't include church names whose association with religion are widely known (such as "Calvary" and "Emmanuel" or names whose meanings are generally understood such as "First [insert denomination]", "Second [insert denomination], or "Union" [insert denomination].

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The content of this post is published for education, religious, and cultural purposes.

Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.
-snip-
Click the "common Black church names" tag to find other posts in this series.

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INFORMATION ABOUT "MOUNT OLIVE"
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_of_Olives
"The Mount of Olives or Mount Olivet (Hebrew: הַר הַזֵּיתִים, Har ha-Zeitim; Arabic: جبل الزيتون, الطور‎, Jabal al-Zaytun, Al-Tur) is a mountain ridge east of and adjacent to Jerusalem's Old City.[1] It is named for the olive groves that once covered its slopes. The southern part of the Mount was the Silwan necropolis, attributed to the ancient Judean kingdom.[2] The mount has been used as a Jewish cemetery for over 3,000 years and holds approximately 150,000 graves, making it central in the tradition of Jewish cemeteries.[3] Several key events in the life of Jesus, as related in the Gospels, took place on the Mount of Olives, and in the Acts of the Apostles it is described as the place from which Jesus ascended to heaven. Because of its association with both Jesus and Mary, the mount has been a site of Christian worship since ancient times and is today a major site of pilgrimage for Catholics, the Eastern Orthodox, and Protestants."///

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INFORMATION ABOUT "ANTIOCH"
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_Antioch
"The Church of Antioch (Arabic: كنيسة أنطاكية‎) was one of the five major churches of the pentarchy in Christianity before the East–West Schism in 1054, with its primary seat in the ancient Greek city of Antioch (present-day Antakya, Turkey)

The Church was formed and founded on Pentecost in Jerusalem. Followers of Jesus as the Messiah (Ha Maschiach), trace the origin of becoming known to the world as 'Christians' to the community founded in Antioch: "Then departed Barnabas to Tarsus, for to seek Saul: and when he found him he brought him to Antioch." For a whole year they met with the church and taught large numbers. The disciples, whose origins began in the dispersion resulting from persecution in Jerusalem, were "first called Christians at Antioch." Known by a variety of names, including "Followers of the Way." Later recognized by the Apostles in Jerusalem, one of its leading members was Barnabas, who was sent to organize the new church (see Acts 11:19-26)"...

According to Acts 11:19-26, the Christian community at Antioch began when Christians who were scattered from Jerusalem because of persecution fled to Antioch. They were joined by Christians from Cyprus and Cyrene who migrated to Antioch. It was in Antioch that the followers of Jesus were first referred to as Christians.

A main point of interest, however, is connected with the progress of Christianity among the non-Jewish believers. Tradition holds that the first Gentile church was founded in Antioch, Acts 11:20-21, where it is recorded that the disciples of Jesus Christ were first called Christians (Acts 11:26). It was from Antioch that St. Paul started on his missionary journeys.[1]"...

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INFORMATION ABOUT "MOUNT CARMEL"
From https://www.britannica.com/place/Mount-Carmel-mountain-ridge-Israel
"Mount Carmel, Hebrew Har Ha-karmel, mountain range, northwestern Israel; the city of Haifa is on its northeastern slope. It divides the Plain of Esdraelon (ʿEmeq Yizreʿel) and the Galilee (east and north) from the coastal Plain of Sharon (south). A northwest–southeast-trending limestone ridge, about 16 mi (26 km) long, it covers an area of about 95 sq mi (245 sq km). Its seaward point, Rosh ha-Karmel (Cape Carmel), almost reaches the Mediterranean; there the coastal plain is only 600 ft (180 m) wide. The mountain’s highest point, 1,791 ft above sea level, is northwest of the village of ʿIsfiyā. The name, dating back to biblical times, is derived from the Hebrew kerem (“vineyard” or “orchard”) and attests to the mountain’s fertility even in ancient times.

Sanctified since early times, Mt. Carmel is mentioned as a “holy mountain” in Egyptian records of the 16th century BC. As a “high place,” it was long a centre of idol worship, and its outstanding reference in the Bible is as the scene of Elijah’s confrontation with the false prophets of Baal (I Kings 18). Mt. Carmel was also sacred to the early Christians; individual hermits settled there as early as the 6th century AD. The Carmelites, a Roman Catholic monastic order, were founded in 1150; they received their first rule, or laws and regulations governing the conduct of their order, in 1206–14. Their monastery (rebuilt 1828) is near the traditional site of Elijah’s miracle."

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INFORMATION ABOUT "MOUNT MORIAH"
Excerpt #1
From https://www.gotquestions.org/mount-Moriah.html
"Question: "What is the significance of Mount Moriah in the Bible?"

Answer: Mount Moriah in Old City Jerusalem is the site of numerous biblical acts of faith. It is also one of the most valuable pieces of real estate and one of the most hotly contested pieces of real estate on earth. This is a profoundly sacred area to Christians, Jews, and Muslims. Sitting atop Mount Moriah today is the Temple Mount, a 37-acre tract of land where the Jewish temple once stood. Several important Islamic holy sites are there now, including the Dome of the Rock – a Muslim shrine built thirteen hundred years ago – and the Al-Aqsa Mosque."...

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Excerpt #2
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moriah
"Moriah (Hebrew: מוֹרִיָּה, Modern: Moriyya, Tiberian: Môriyyā, Arabic: ﻣﺮﻭﻩ‎, romanized: Marwah) is the name given to a mountainous region by the Book of Genesis, in which context it is the location of the sacrifice of Isaac. Through association with the biblical Mount Moriah (the Temple Mount), Mount Moriah has been interpreted as the name of the specific mountain at which this occurred, although this identification is typically rejected by scholarship.

Muslims believe the historical mount is Marwah in Arabic, as mentioned in the Qur'an, located close to the Kaaba in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. There has been an historical account of rams' horns preserved in the Kaaba until the year 683, which are believed to be the remains of the sacrifice of Ishmael.[1][2]"...

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Visitor comments are welcome.

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post presents an excerpt of a 2017 pdf file about Americans' racial perception of names. This research was conducted by S. Michael Gaddis, University of California, Los Angeles and is entitled "How Black Are Lakisha and Jamal? Racial Perceptions from Names Used in Correspondence Audit Studies".

The content of this post is presented for sociological and etymological purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to S. Michael Gaddis for this research. Thanks to all those who participated in this research and all those who are quoted in this post.

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PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S NOTE
As a reminder, I feature excerpts of articles, pdf files, and books as a means of highlighting those writings and as a means of encouraging people to read the entire work, if possible.

This pancocojams post is part of an ongoing focus in this blog on African American names, and names and naming practices, particularly in the United States. Click the tags below for additional pancocojams post on these subjects.

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PDF EXCERPT
From https://www.sociologicalscience.com/download/vol-/september/SocSci_v4_469to489.pdf
S. Michael Gaddis
University of California, Los Angeles
"How Black Are Lakisha and Jamal? Racial Perceptions from Names Used in Correspondence Audit Studies
Abstract: Online correspondence audit studies have emerged as the primary method to examine racial discrimination. Although audits use distinctive names to signal race, few studies scientifically
examine data regarding the perception of race from names. Different names treated as black or white may be perceived in heterogeneous ways. I conduct a survey experiment that asks respondents to identify the race they associate with a series of names. I alter the first names given to each respondent and inclusion of last names. Names more commonly given by highly educated black mothers (e.g., Jalen and Nia) are less likely to be perceived as black than names given by less educated black mothers (e.g., DaShawn and Tanisha). The results suggest that a large body of social science evidence on racial discrimination operates under a misguided assumption that all black names are alike, and the findings from correspondence audits are likely sensitive to name selection.

Keywords: racial discrimination; inequality; names; audit studies; experiments

MODERN social science evidence of racial discrimination stems mostly from a type of field experiment known as an audit study, which matches candidates on all characteristics except race to examine racial differences in outcomes. Originally developed in the 1960s to capture more elusive forms of racial discrimination in the post–Civil Rights era, modern audit studies have shifted from the in-person to the correspondence method, which uses names to signal the race of hypothetical subjects. With few exceptions, correspondence audits regularly find lower phone and/or email response rates for applications with black names compared to white names in both employment and housing (Gaddis 2015; Hanson et al. 2016; Hogan
and Berry 2011). Researchers have continued to find evidence of racial discrimination even as correspondence audits have expanded to include a broader domain of actors, such as politicians, prospective roommates, public officials, and health care professionals (Butler and Broockman 2011; Einstein and Glick 2017; Gaddis and Ghoshal 2017; Giulietti, Tonin, and Vlassopoulos 2015; Sharma, Mitra, and Stano 2015).

Such correspondence audits enable researchers to circumvent a number of critiques of the in-person method (Heckman 1998; Heckman and Siegelman 1993), collect larger samples, and reduce research costs. However, researchers also lose the ability to more directly convey race through appearance and interaction and
instead rely solely on names to signal race. The vast majority of the recent evidence on racial discrimination hinges on individuals’ racial perceptions from these names.

An exhaustive search of correspondence audits (conducted by both mail and internet) that use names to signal race yields 89 studies in published or working

[page] 469

paper form since 1970. The occurrence of these studies has accelerated in recent years (72 studies, or 81 percent, have been published or otherwise made available since 2010).1 Researchers across a variety of disciplines—sociology, economics, political science, psychology, and management—have published these studies in some of the top generalist journals. To fully capture the gravity of how names inform a scientific understanding of racial prejudice, discrimination, and stereotypes, we can expand the search of the scientific literature beyond correspondence audits to also include laboratory, vignette, and other experiments, which easily surpasses 250 studies since the year 2000.2

Unfortunately, no research has systematically investigated the validity of using names to signal race. In correspondence audits, researchers seem to assume a consensus on what constitutes distinctively black and white names and that any one “black” name should yield similar results as any other “black” name. How
ever, scientific explanations of how researchers select black and white names are woefully lacking....
This is particularly troubling because name-based correspondence audits have become the leading method of
providing evidence of racial discrimination.

Although the research base clearly shows that race can be signaled through names and that using names as a signal of race can successfully capture some version of racial discrimination, it is unclear whether people actually perceive the signal of race in the same way across the variety of names used in past research. At least 3 characteristics of a name may influence an individual’s perception of race from
that name: (1) the population racial composition of a first name, (2) the population socioeconomic status (SES) composition of a first name, and (3) the population racial composition of a last name. Although some racial discrimination research has been concerned with the second characteristic (Bertrand and Mullainathan 2004; Gaddis 2015), nearly none has paid attention to the first and third characteristics.
Studies that use names to signal race rely on the assumption that there are first names among the population that are unique to certain races. Thus, if a name, such as Jamal, more frequently belongs to a black person, the general population should recognize that name as black. Since at least the 1960s, a small percentage of black parents have chosen certain first names for their children at much higher frequencies than white parents, making these names racially distinctive (Fryer and Levitt 2004;
Lieberson 2000; Lieberson and Mikelson 1995). However, the majority of black parents do not name their children using distinctive first names. For example, from 1994 to 2012 in New York state, only 15 names were used by black mothers more than 3,000 times. Most of these 15 names were commonly given by both black and

[page] 470
white mothers: Anthony, Ashley, Joshua, Kayla. Only one of these 15 names was more commonly given by black rather than white mothers: Isaiah. Overall, only 18.9 percent of black children born in New York during this period have a name that is racially distinctive as black (more commonly given by black rather than white mothers).

Moreover, data from New York suggest that the most distinctively black names are not exclusively used by blacks. For example, names such as Jamal and Latoya belong to children with black mothers at rates of 80 percent and 84 percent, respectively, leaving 20 percent of Jamals and 16 percent of Latoyas as nonblack or multiracial. Other “black” names such as Keisha and Leroy have lower rates (56 percent and 61 percent, respectively). All four of these names have been used to signal black applicants in multiple correspondence audits.

Taken together, these two issues should make it clear that, at best, first names can only be imperfect proxies of race. Researchers take a shortcut by first using a specific subset of names and then taking a continuous variable of racial naming practices and turning it into a binary (i.e., white name or black name). Thus, even if data on actual population naming practices by race could perfectly predict perceptions of race from these names, we would expect that, for instance, 20 percent of the time Jamal would be perceived as nonblack. However, individual perceptions may not perfectly align with reality, as one often-overlooked small sample pretest finding from Bertrand and Mullainathan (2004) suggests.3

A second important factor determining what racial cues a first name may signal is the correlation between parental SES and names. Using birth record data from California, Fryer and Levitt (2004) find that “[b]lacker names are associated with lower-income zip codes [and] lower levels of parental education” (p. 786). Moreover, although there are fewer instances of unique naming patterns among white parents, these unique names are still correlated with SES in the New York birth record data.

Because both race and SES influence parental naming practices, the racial perception from a name may be biased by the SES-based naming practices. Whereas some find that individuals’ racial perceptions from names are not biased by these SES-based practices (Bertrand and Mullainathan 2004), other research suggests this may not be true in all instances (Figlio 2005; Gaddis 2015; Kirschenman and Neckerman 1991).

Finally, researchers have focused minimal attention on last name selection with regard to race. However, publicly available U.S. Census data show that only nine last names among the most frequently occurring 1,000 are majority black, with another 15 last names registering at 40 percent to 50 percent black (U.S. Census Bureau 2012). Earlier correspondence audits often mixed “black” first names with both predominantly black last names and predominantly white last names within a study (Hanson and Hawley 2011; Milkman, Akinola, and Chugh 2012), whereas more recent studies often match first and last names by race (Gaddis 2016; Hanson et al. 2016). The effect of this selection on outcomes in correspondence audits is not only unknown but heretofore unquestioned.
O
ne additional potential wrinkle in signaling race through names remains: the characteristics of the individual receiving the signal. For instance, we might expect that blacks would be more familiar with black names generally and thus more likely to recognize a particular name as black, independent of the SES associations

[page] 471
of that name. Other characteristics, such as an individual’s age, gender, and SES might matter as well. Although no correspondence audits directly acknowledge this issue, the implications are clear. If whites are overrepresented in a particular audit context (e.g., real estate agents) and also less likely to receive the racial signals sent by researchers, we may underestimate true discrimination rates by using poorly performing names.

Overall, a body of research suggests that further examination of racial perceptions from names will substantially improve our understanding of existing discrepancies in racial discrimination research and help lead to future laboratory, field, and survey experiments with higher internal validity.

Unfortunately, few studies have examined different perceptions of race from names and none do so in an experimental framework. The present research stands to make an important contribution to the social sciences by providing the first scientific evidence on perceptions of race from names. I proceed by conducting a survey experiment and examining a number of research questions on individual racial perceptions from names.

[...]
Selecting Names to Test
I selected names for this study using New York state birth record data for all births from 1994 to 2012 obtained from the New York State Department of Health to examine population-level race and SES characteristics.4 These data separately list the total number of births by (1) name and mother’s race and (2) name and mother’s education. This data structure allowed me, for example, to choose two names
similar in terms of mother’s race but different in terms of mother’s education—in other words, a black lower-SES name and a black middle- to upper-SES name. Two examples used in this study are DaQuan and Jabari; 91.8 percent of children named DaQuan and 92.1 percent of children named Jabari are born to black mothers. These names are equal in blackness but vary by mother’s education; only 12.8 percent of mothers who name their child DaQuan have some college or more education, whereas 56.8 percent of mothers who name their child Jabari have some college or more education.

[...]

Results
Descriptive Results

[...]
There is much variation in congruent perception rates within each set of racialized names. For black names (Figure 1), the respondents were least likely to congruently perceive the names Bria, Sade, Kaylah, Lyric, and Jasmine8 when matched

[page] 477

with a black last name. All of these names were perceived as black among less than 65 percent of the respondents. Even when black last names were included, 20 of the 80 black names (25 percent) were perceived as black among less than 75 percent of the respondents, indicating poor choices for use in experiments signaling race.

Conversely, congruent perception rates were quite high for the names DaShawn, Tanisha, Tremayne, Jamal, and Daquan. All of these names were perceived as black among more than 95 percent of the respondents. When black last names were included, 30 of the 80 black names (37.5 percent) were perceived as black among more than 90 percent of the respondents, indicating very good choices for use in field experiments signaling race. The congruent perception rate across all black names is 75.0 percent when given no last name, 82.5 percent when given a black last name, and 66.5 percent when given a white last name.

For white names (Figure 2), the respondents were least likely to congruently perceive the names Cheyanne, Maxwell, Mayer, Irvin, and Chloe when matched with a white last name. All of these names were perceived as white among less than 85 percent of the respondents. Only Cheyanne (55.6 percent) and Maxwell (74.3
percent) were perceived as white among less than 75 percent of the respondents, indicating poor choices for use in field experiments signaling race. Conversely, congruent perception rates were extremely high for the names Katelyn, Hunter, Claire, Jake, and Seth. All of these names were perceived as white among more than 97 percent of the respondents. When white last names were included, 67 of the 80 white names (83.8 percent) were perceived as white among more than 90 percent of the respondents, indicating very good choices for use in experiments signaling race. The respondent congruent perception rate for all white names is 87.3 percent when given no last name, 92.4 percent when given a white last name, 67.9 percent when given a black last name, and 17.8 percent when given a Hispanic last name.

One other significant variation that stands out from these figures comes from differences by mothers’ education. Respondents are much more likely to congruently perceive a black name from mothers with lower education levels like DaShawn, DaQuan, or Lakisha rather than from mothers with higher education levels like Nia, Malcolm, or Malia. Respondents are also much more likely to congruently perceive a white name from mothers with higher education levels like Claire, Jake, or Abigail rather than from mothers with lower education like Cheyanne, Irvin, or Jordy, although the patterns for white names do not appear as strong as for black names.

[...]
Table 3 delves into the raw data and confirms the patterns discussed above. Generally, respondents congruently perceive white names at higher rates than others except when matched with a Hispanic last name. Respondents also congruently perceive male and female white names at equal rates but have less trouble congruently perceiving male rather than female black names. Finally, there’s some evidence that black and white respondents can congruently perceive names that match their own race more readily that those of other races.

[page] 480

[...]

Discussion and Conclusion
In the 1964 Supreme Court case Jacobellis v. Ohio, Justice Potter Stewart famously said “I know it when I see it” in reference to what constitutes pornography. Many scholars seemingly have taken the same tactic when deciding what constitutes a black name: they know it when they see (or hear) it. The underlying assumption that black names comprise a uniform body that signals the same information has dominated the leading method used to investigate racial discrimination since the early 2000s. However, the present research shows that this assumption fails to hold

[page] 482

up when put under the scientific microscope. Indeed, black names used in previous correspondence audits vary significantly by individual perceptions of race. I find that a number of characteristics of an individual name matter: gender, popularity, type of last name included, and the average level of education of mothers who commonly give that name, among others.

The immediate implications of these findings are obvious: researchers can use this information to select names that signal race more clearly in correspondence audits. Whether researchers select the best-performing names among those I tested or conduct their own pretests before embarking on future correspondence audits, internal validity should increase in future racial discrimination research.

However, we should also question what these results might mean for the current body of discrimination research that is mostly not based on scientific selection of names to signal race. Differences in racial perceptions from names might explain differences in outcomes within and between correspondence audits. A recent trio of correspondence audits highlights this possibility (Darolia et al. 2016; Deming et
al. 2016; Gaddis 2016). Three sets of researchers separately examined the effects of for-profit versus not-for-profit educational credentials in the labor market for black and white job candidates. Despite conducting the three correspondence audits during similar time periods with similar research questions and across many of the same cities, the findings regarding racial discrimination were quite different.
Each chose different names to signal race, with one going the unique route of using generic or “white” first names coupled with “black” last names to signal a black applicant and found no evidence of racial discrimination (Darolia et al. 2016).

Although other differences between these studies exist, the possibility that the racial signal from names might influence correspondence audit outcomes warrants further investigation.

Notes
1 This search, performed in September 2016, examined citation networks from high-profile audit studies, searches through the National Bureau of Economic Research and the Social Science Research Network, and personal correspondence between the author and a number of researchers conducting these studies.

2 A database of this research will be available in the near future at http://www.auditstudies.com.

3 Bertrand and Mullainathan (2004) found that some distinctively black names, Maurice and Jerome in particular, were not perceived as strongly black in a small test sample in Chicago.

4 The choice of New York birth record data is one of convenience. To my knowledge, no national-level data are available. The only other available large-scale, multiyear birth record data come from California. These data are expensive to obtain. Additionally, the racial demographics of New York are closer than California to the national percentages (e.g., blacks are 13.2 percent of the population nationally, 15.9 percent of the population in New York, and only 6.5 percent of the population in California). 1994 through 2012 was the full set of years available from New York at the beginning of this project. Although
racial and SES-based naming practices may vary somewhat across regions, the question of importance is whether racial perceptions from names vary across regions. In supplemental analyses, I test whether respondents from New York vary from respondents in

[page] 485

the rest of the United States. I find no substantive differences in these analyses (available from author upon request), suggesting that the use of New York data likely has no significant bearing on the results.

5 I treat two names as black even though the New York data show that a plurality of mothers are white who name their children these two names: Jasmine and Kiara. In the case of Jasmine, one previous correspondence audit used the name to signal a black person (Jacquemet and Yannelis 2012). Additionally, both Jasmine and Kiara are listed on Levitt and Dubner’s (2005) top black female names list, increasing the likelihood that either name could be used as a black name in audit studies of racial discrimination.

6 The survey question asks about “race or ethnicity.” For brevity, I refer to this simply as race, even when discussing Hispanic ethnicity.

7 Dropping multiracial responses or treating them as “other” does not affect the substantive findings.

8 The low congruent perception rate of Jasmine is expected because only 33 percent of Jasmines in New York are born to black mothers. Again, because a previous correspondence audit used the name to signal a black person (Jacquemet and Yannelis 2012), I treat the name as black in this study."

****
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visiting comments are welcome.

Edited by Azizi Powell

This is Part I of a four part pancocojams series on the male name "Jerome".

Part I provides information about the origin and meaning of the name "Jerome" and examples of that name's use in American [USA/Canadian] songs, movies, and television shows.

Part II provides information and comments about the perception of "Jerome" as a "Black name" in the USA even though there are more White people named "Jerome" in the USA than there are Black people with that name.


Part III showcases the 1955 R&B Bo Diddley song "Bring It To Jerome"

Part IV showcased the 2019 Pop/R&B Lizzo song "Jerome".

****
The content of this post is presented for cultural and onomastic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.

****
GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE NAME JEROME
Excerpt #1
From https://ohbabynames.com/all-baby-names/jerome/
"Etymology & Historical Origin of the Baby Name Jerome

Jerome is the English version of the Greek Hieronymos (‘Ιερωνυμος) from the elements “hieros” meaning “holy” and “onoma” meaning “name”. In other words, Jerome is a “holy name”. It was made popular by a 4th/5th century citizen of the Eastern Roman Empire named Eusebius Sophronius Hieronymus, better known as St. Jerome. St. Jerome was commissioned by Pope Damasus I in 382 to translate the Bible from Old Latin into the Vulgate (or common Latin edition). St. Jerome was responsible for translating the entire Bible into one stylistically consistent linguistic form which was used from the 5th century on up through the Middle Ages. His prolific writings (second only to St. Augustine) secured him the title Doctor of the Church. He was highly regarded beyond his own time and the name Jerome was used throughout medieval Europe in his honor (Geronimo is the Italian form). Apropos to his contributions, St. Jerome is the patron saint of translators, librarians and encyclopedists.


[...]

Popularity
OF THE BOY NAME JEROME

Jerome has held a position on the American male naming charts since the U.S. government first began tracking naming trends (1880). Although we can say with confidence the name was used in the United States well before that. Since the 20th century Jerome was never a Top 100 favorite choice except for briefly between 1935 and 1940, but he did hover around that level for 40 some odd years. By the 1970s, Jerome was declining ever so slowly on the charts; during the 1990s those drops became more pronounced. In this new century alone Jerome has plummeted over 300 positions down to his lowest levels of usage ever."...

****
Excerpt #2
From https://www.mynamestats.com/First-Names/J/JE/JEROME/index.html
"Summary
The race and Hispanic origin distribution of the people with the name JEROME is 81.6% White, 3.0% Hispanic origin, 12.1% Black, 1.4% Asian or Pacific Islander, 1.4% Two or More Races, and 0.6% American Indian or Alaskan Native. These figures should be considered only as a rough estimate. The purpose of this graph is to compare the name's specific race and Hispanic origin distribution to the distribution in the general population of the US.

[...]

On this basis, the people with the name JEROME have a higher likelyhood of being White and a lower likelyhood of being Hispanic origin.

{...]


The state with the most people named JEROME is California where 12,997 people have this name.
North Dakota is the state where you are most likely to meet a person named JEROME, as 153.33 in every 100,000 North Dakotans have this name.
[..]

The most popular full name is JEROME Johnson. 0.86% of all the people named JEROME have this family name.

There are 17465 last names associated with this first name."...

****
Except #3
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerome_(given_name)
..."Jerome ranked among the top 200 names given to boys born in the United States between 1903 and 1985. Since then its use has declined and the name was ranked 616th as the name given to American boys born in 2008.[2]"....

****
Excerpt #4
From https://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/decades/names1950s.html Social Security- Top names of the 1950s
"The following table shows the 200 most popular given names for male and female babies born during the 1950s. For each rank and sex, the table shows the name and the number of occurrences of that name. The 200 most popular names were taken from a universe that includes 20,516,817 male births and 19,733,439 female births

[Male] Popular names of the period 1950s

Rank Name Number

1 James 843,531
2 Michael 837,199
3 Robert 830,179

4 John 797,717
5 David 769,685

[...]

114 Jerome 29,699

[...]"
-snip-
Click that link to find the top 100 male and female names in any decade in the USA.

****
Excerpt #4
From https://nameberry.com/babyname/Jerome
..."Jerome's Popularity in 2018: #870"

****
SONGS, TV, AND MOVIE QUOTES THAT MENTION THE NAME "JEROME"
Excerpt #1
From https://ohbabynames.com/all-baby-names/jerome/

Popular Songs [that include the name "Jerome in their title]*

"Me and Jerome"
a song by Sarah Slean


It's a Perfect Day Jerome"
a song by Plankeye

"Bring It To Jerome"
a song by Bo Diddley”
-snip-
Information about the song given as #1
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_Slean
"Sarah Hope Slean (born June 21, 1977) is a [White] Canadian singer-songwriter, musician, poet, visual artist and occasional actress."...

**
From https://www.discogs.com/Sarah-Slean-Universe/release/1061782
"Me & Jerome -
1998
Genre: Pop
[track 4 on that album]"

**
Information About the song given as #2
From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5iOOOm4Xdok and from Google Search
"Artist: Plankeye [a Christian alternative rock band]
Album: The Spark
Released: 1995
Genre: Rock"

**
Information about the song given as #3
"Pretty Thing" was recorded by Bo Diddley on July 14, 1955 in Chicago, Illinois – the same day as "Bring It to Jerome". Producing the session were the Chess brothers – Leonard and Phil – and Bo Diddley. The performers on the song were Bo Diddley (vocals, guitar), Jerome Green (maracas), Lester Davenport (harmonica), and Clifton James (drums).[2]
-snip-
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bo_Diddley_(1958_album)indicates that Jerome Green was also the co-lead (with Bo Diddley) on the song "Bring It To Jerome".

"Bring It To Jerome" is the The only song in this list which was recorded by an African American. Part III of this pancocojams series provides information about musician/singer Jerome Green and showcases the song "Bring It To Jerome".

****
Excerpt #2
From https://bestnicknametees.com/boys-names/letter-j-boys/jerome/ Best Nicknames
Jerome TV and Movie Quotes
“My uncle thought he was Saint Jerome.”
Ghost Busters (1984)
-snip-

“Jerome! Coffee and a Monte Cristo! Now!”
Shrek 2 (2004)

“Jerome, you really are an animal”
Columbo: Now You See Him (1976)"...

****
Excerpt #3
Lizzo- "Jerome" (R&B/Pop/ Recorded on Apr 20, 2019
-snip=
African American singer Lizzo recorded this song which is showcased in Part IV of this pancocojams series.

****
POSITIVE ASSOCIATIONS GIVEN TO THE NAME "JEROME" IN URBAN DICTIONARY.COM ENTRIES
As of January 28, 2020, the name "Jerome" has three entries on https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Jerome

All of those entries convey similarly positive associations for the name "Jerome". Here's the "top definition" on that page:
"Jerome
A MAN who knows how to treat a lady. Don't judge this book by its cover or its past. He may appear to be someone you try and avoid but once he starts talking to you, your mind is changed completely. A man like this will never leave your mind because you know he is perfect. A man you might just marry. He is kind and gentle but can sometimes come off too strong of go down the wrong path. But, all in all, he always finds his way back.
Girl 1: "Don't talk to him, he looks like a thug."
Girl 2: "No, that's Jerome. He's not what you think he is."
Girl 1: "Is he single?"
Girl 2: "NO HE'S MINE!"
#perfect#kind#loving#passionate#desire
by DomoBrownie December 15, 2013

****
This concludes Part I of this pancocojams series.

Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Edited by Azizi Powell

This is Part II of a five part pancocojams series on the male name "Jerome".

Part II provides information and comments about the perception of "Jerome" as a "Black name" in the USA even though there are more White people named "Jerome" in the USA than there are Black people with that name.

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2020/01/the-origin-meaning-of-name-jerome.html for Part I of this pancocojams series. Part I provides information about the origin and meaning of the name "Jerome" and examples of that name's use in American [USA/Canadian] songs, movies, and television shows.

Part III presents some United States mass media examples that include the name "Jerome" and may have contributed to "Jerome" being considered a Black name.

Part IV showcases the 1955 R&B Bo Diddley song "Bring It To Jerome".

Part V showcased the 2019 Pop/R&B Lizzo song "Jerome".

****
The content of this post is presented for cultural and onomastic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.

****
PERCEPTION OF THE NAME JEROME AS A "BLACK" NAME [Even though there are many more White people named Jerome than Black people]

Pancocojams Editor's Note: These excerpts are given in no particular order. Excerpt #1 was also quoted in Part I of this series.

Excerpt #1:
From https://www.mynamestats.com/First-Names/J/JE/JEROME/index.html
"Summary
The race and Hispanic origin distribution of the people with the name JEROME is 81.6% White, 3.0% Hispanic origin, 12.1% Black, 1.4% Asian or Pacific Islander, 1.4% Two or More Races, and 0.6% American Indian or Alaskan Native. These figures should be considered only as a rough estimate. The purpose of this graph is to compare the name's specific race and Hispanic origin distribution to the distribution in the general population of the US.

[...]

On this basis, the people with the name JEROME have a higher likelyhood of being White and a lower likelyhood of being Hispanic origin.

{...]


The state with the most people named JEROME is California where 12,997 people have this name.
North Dakota is the state where you are most likely to meet a person named JEROME, as 153.33 in every 100,000 North Dakotans have this name.

[...]

The most popular full name is JEROME Johnson. 0.86% of all the people named JEROME have this family name.

There are 17465 last names associated with this first name."..
-snip-
There are more White people in the United States with the name Jerome than people of any other race with that name because there are more White people in the United States than people of any other race.

**
Regarding "Jerome Johnson" being the most popular full name in the United States for people named "Jerome", here's some information about the most popular last names [surnames] in the United States:

From https://names.mongabay.com/data/white.html
"Most common last names for Whites in the U.S.

Last name / Surname-Surname rank among whites; % of people with surname self-identifying as 'white'
SMITH- 1 ; 1,742,947 ; 73.3%
JOHNSON-2; 1,143,082; 61.6%
MILLER-3; 967,768; 85.8%
BROWN-4; 837,886; 60.7%
JONES-5; 786,173; 57.7%"...
-snip-
I used semi-colons instead of hyphens to enhance this list's readability.

**
From https://names.mongabay.com/data/black.html
"Last name / Surname; Surname rank among blacks; Number of occurrences among people self-identifying as 'black'; % of people with surname self-identifying as 'black'

WILLIAMS-1; 716,704; 46.7%
JOHNSON -2; 627,720; 33.8%
SMITH-3; 527,993; 22.2%
JONES-4; 514,167; 37.7%
BROWN-5; 476,702; 34.5%"...
-snip-
I used semi-colons instead of hyphens to enhance this list's readability.

****
Excerpt #2
[Pancocojams Editor's Note: Notice that this researcher categorized "Jerome" as a "distinctively Black name".]

From https://www.sociologicalscience.com/download/vol-/september/SocSci_v4_469to489.pdf
S. Michael Gaddis
University of California, Los Angeles
"How Black Are Lakisha and Jamal? Racial Perceptions from Names Used in Correspondence Audit Studies
[Note #3- Bertrand and Mullainathan (2004) found that some distinctively black names, Maurice and Jerome in particular, were not perceived as strongly black in a small test sample in Chicago."

****
Excerpt #3:
From https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=White%20Jerome
"TOP DEFINITION
White Jerome
A young adult vaper that is obsessed with an underaged girl.... He is also white with a black man's name.
Everyone at the Vape Shop: "What's up White Jerome!!!"
#cracker#white man black name#pedophelic
by Grizzly757 October 06, 2018
-snip-
This is the only urban dictionary.com entry for that term.

****
Excerpt #4:
From https://verysmartbrothas.theroot.com/trump-found-a-white-dude-named-jerome-to-be-in-charge-o-1820094164"Trump Found a White Dude Named ‘Jerome’ to Be in Charge of Our Money Because Nothing Makes Sense Anymore" by Damon Young, 11/02/17
..."I saw [the news] that someone called “Jerome Powell” was also trending, which made me assume that he must be the backup quarterback for the Houston Texans or something. Or that it was perhaps the title of a new mixtape from Drake….Of course, I was wrong. Jerome H. Powell is just the name of an über-rich white dude who’ll chair the Federal Reserve. Full disclosure: I don’t know what the Federal Reserve is or does, really. I know it has something to do with money and, I don’t know, reserving it or something, but that’s about the extent of my Federal Reserve knowledge. The Federal Reserve could be giving me a lap dance right now and I’d just wonder if it took tips with PayPal.

What I do know, however, are multiple ni&&as* named Jerome. And most either go by “Rome” or “Romey,” and they all somehow look exactly as if their name should be Jerome. Jerome is the most self-aware name ever. I also know a gaggle of Powells. I even once crashed a Powell family picnic because my man was dating a woman from the Powell fam and she invited him to meet her family, and he brought me along as an excuse to leave early if the food was wack. (It wasn’t. I stayed and got a T-shirt.) But I know of no white dudes named Jerome and zero white people named Powell”...
-snip-
*This word is fully spelled out in that article.

Regarding the comment that "Powell" is a Black last name, here's an excerpt from https://www.mynamestats.com/Last-Names/P/PO/POWELL/index.html
..."The race and Hispanic origin distribution of the people with the name POWELL is 70.0% White, 1.4% Hispanic origin, 26.0% Black, 0.4% Asian or Pacific Islander, 1.7% Two or More Races, and 0.6% American Indian or Alaskan Native."...

****
Excerpt #5
From https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090717191531AASqu4n
"is the name Jerome a black name?"
1. Anonymous, 2009
Favorite Answer
"i know a couple black guys name jerome. but any one can have that name."

**
2. Vegas Jimmy. 2009
"The first Jerome known to history was Saint Jerome, who lived in the fifth century in Asia Minor, and first translated the Latin Vulgate Bible out of the original Greek and Septuagent. He was an Italian by birth, so no, it is not a "black" name, whatever that is. It has perhaps taken on a cachet of being a name favored by those we now call "African-Americans" for boys."

**
3. Anonymous, 2009
"St. Jerome was a citizen of the Roman Empire and he was white. For this, I would say its a Greek name, but someone could use it as an African American name. After all, we can name our kids any name we want."

****
From https://www.quora.com/How-did-certain-first-names-that-are-not-African-in-origin-become-associated-with-African-American-culture-in-the-United-States-E-g-Tyrone-Tyrell-Antoine-Jerome"How did certain first names that are not African in origin become associated with African American culture in the United States? E.g. Tyrone, Tyrell, Antoine, Jerome"

"Adrian Marshall, My most knowledgeable subject, ironically not my most up voted or viewed.
Updated Nov 4 [no year given]
I'll be my normal unpopular self on Quora. The answer is simply racism (I'm not saying overt bigotry). Most of the older names like the names you mentioned are European names. They became popular with black people and once that happened, they fell out of favor with whites.

It's the same reason why GM is currently struggling with the Cadillac brand. When black people like something in the US it becomes a stereotype for some reason. Cadillac is now a "black man's" car and whites have stopped buying them. White guys with the name Tyrone invariably go by "Ty" because otherwise they get chided sometimes even by their black friends. I went to school with a white guy named Malcolm, guess what, he went by his middle name and in no way was anyone to call him Malcolm. (I went to a backward, rural southern highschool by the way).

You've heard of "white flight". Well when blacks moved closer to whites, the whites moved away. That seems to be true for housing, name trends, and automobile status symbols.”
-snip-
This excerpt was also quoted in the 2015 pancocojams post entitled "Why "Tyrone" Is Considered A "Black Name" In The United States (with information or how, why, and when this name became popular & why it lost its popularity)"https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2015/07/cultural-influences-on-perception-that.html.

One reason why the name "Jerome" may be considered a "Black name" in the United States is that that name nearly rhymes with the name "Tyrone" which frequently has been considered a "Black name".

Part III and Part IV of this pancocojams post considers other cultural factors that may have contributed -and may currently contribute- to the perception of "Jerome" as a Black name in the United States.

****
This concludes Part II of this pancocojams series.

Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Edited by Azizi Powell

This is Part III of a five part pancocojams series on the male name "Jerome".

Part III presents some United States mass media examples that include the name "Jerome" that may have contributed to "Jerome" being considered a Black name.

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2020/01/the-origin-meaning-of-name-jerome.html for Part I of this pancocojams series. Part I provides information about the origin and meaning of the name "Jerome" and examples of that name's use in American [USA/Canadian] songs, movies, and television shows.

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2020/01/the-perception-of-jerome-as-black-name.html for Part II provides information and comments about the perception of "Jerome" as a "Black name" in the USA even though there are more White people named "Jerome" in the USA than there are Black people with that name.

Part IV showcases the 1955 R&B Bo Diddley song "Bring It To Jerome".

Part V showcased the 2019 Pop/R&B Lizzo song "Jerome".

****
The content of this post is presented for cultural and onomastic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.

****
UNITED STATES MASS MEDIA EXAMPLES OF THE NAME "JEROME"

These excerpts are given in no particular order.

Excerpt #1: Popular Songs That Include The Name Jerome In Their Title
From https://ohbabynames.com/all-baby-names/jerome/
"Me and Jerome"
a song by Sarah Slean


It's a Perfect Day Jerome"
a song by Plankeye

"Bring It To Jerome"
a song by Bo Diddley”
-snip-
Information about the song given as #1
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_Slean
"Sarah Hope Slean (born June 21, 1977) is a [White] Canadian singer-songwriter, musician, poet, visual artist and occasional actress."...

**
From https://www.discogs.com/Sarah-Slean-Universe/release/1061782
"Me & Jerome -
1998
Genre: Pop
[track 4 on that album]"

**
Information About the song given as #2
From https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5iOOOm4Xdok and from Google Search
"Artist: Plankeye [a Christian alternative rock band]
Album: The Spark
Released: 1995
Genre: Rock"

**
Information about the song given as #3
"Pretty Thing" was recorded by Bo Diddley on July 14, 1955 in Chicago, Illinois – the same day as "Bring It to Jerome". Producing the session were the Chess brothers – Leonard and Phil – and Bo Diddley. The performers on the song were Bo Diddley (vocals, guitar), Jerome Green (maracas), Lester Davenport (harmonica), and Clifton James (drums).[2]
-snip-
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bo_Diddley_(1958_album)indicates that Jerome Green was also the co-lead (with Bo Diddley) on the song "Bring It To Jerome".

"Bring It To Jerome" is the only song in this list which was recorded by an African American. I believe that this song and musician/singer Jerome Green's association with well known African American singer Bo Diddley greatly contributed to the perception in the United States of "Jerome" as a "Black name". Click Part IV for a pancocojams post about musician/singer Jerome Green and the song "Bring It To Jerome".

Musician/singer Jerome Green's name is also included in the UK Rock band Animal's record "Bo Diddley"https://genius.com/The-animals-story-of-bo-diddley-lyrics. An excerpt of that song's lyrics is also included in Part IV of this pancocojams series.

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Excerpt #2: The Name "Jerome" In Television/Movie Quotes
From https://bestnicknametees.com/boys-names/letter-j-boys/jerome/ Best Nicknames
“My uncle thought he was Saint Jerome.”
Ghost Busters (1984)
-snip-

“Jerome! Coffee and a Monte Cristo! Now!”
Shrek 2 (2004)

“Jerome, you really are an animal”
Columbo: Now You See Him (1976)"...

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Excerpt #3: The Name "Jerome" As The Title Of A 2019 Song
Lizzo- "Jerome" (R&B/Pop/ Recorded on Apr 20, 2019
-snip=
This song, which was recorded by African American singer Lizzo, is showcased in Part IV of this pancocojams series.

Some commenters in the YouTube discussion thread for the Erykah Badu's now iconic song "Tyrone" compared that song with Lizzo's song "Jerome". There's no doubt that-among African Americans if not other Americans- the song "Tyrone" contributed to that name being negatively perceived. It'll be interesting to see if Lizzo's song "Jerome" has a similar effect on the name "Jerome". The fact that the name "Jerome" is a near rhyme with the name "Tyrone" may already be a reason why some African Americans may have negative connotations for the name "Jerome".

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Excerpt #4: Famous African Americans With The name "Jerome"
https://www.ranker.com/list/famous-people-named-jerome/reference

[Pancocojams Editor's Note: These names are excerpted from that page which also includes photographs]
"Jerome Bettis is listed (or ranked) 1 on the list Famous People Named Jerome
Jerome Bettis

Athlete, Football Analyst, Presenter
Jerome Abram Bettis Sr. (born February 16, 1972), nicknamed The Bus, is a former American football halfback who played for the Los Angeles Rams/St. Louis Rams and Pittsburgh Steelers"...

**
"Jerome Brown
American football player
Willie Jerome Brown III (February 4, 1965 – June 25, 1992) was an American football defensive tackle for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL)"...

**
"Jerome Kersey
Basketball player
Jerome Kersey (June 26, 1962 – February 18, 2015) was an American professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played for the Portland Trail Blazer"...

**
"Jerome Harrison
American football player
Jerome Harrison (born February 26, 1983) is a former American football running back who played six seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for Washington State ...".

**
Jerome Woods
American football player
Jerome Harlan Woods (born March 17, 1973) is a retired American football safety who played his entire ten-year career with the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL).With ..."

**
Jerome Barkum is listed (or ranked) 19 on the list Famous People Named Jerome
Jerome Barkum
American football player
Jerome Barkum (born July 18, 1950) is a former wide receiver and tight end in the National Football League. He played 12 years with New York Jets. He was drafted by the Jets out of Jackson State "...

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URBAN DICTIONARY'S POSITIVE ASSOCIATIONS GIVEN TO THE NAME "JEROME" AS A LOVER MAN
As of January 28, 2020, the name "Jerome" has three entries on https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Jerome

All of those entries convey similarly positive associations for the name "Jerome". Here's the "top definition" on that page:
"Jerome
A MAN who knows how to treat a lady. Don't judge this book by its cover or its past. He may appear to be someone you try and avoid but once he starts talking to you, your mind is changed completely. A man like this will never leave your mind because you know he is perfect. A man you might just marry. He is kind and gentle but can sometimes come off too strong of go down the wrong path. But, all in all, he always finds his way back.
Girl 1: "Don't talk to him, he looks like a thug."
Girl 2: "No, that's Jerome. He's not what you think he is."
Girl 1: "Is he single?"
Girl 2: "NO HE'S MINE!"
#perfect#kind#loving#passionate#desire
by DomoBrownie December 15, 2013
-snip-
The other urban dictionary.com entries of the name "Jerome" are similar to this entry in that they focus on the males named Jerome being good romantic partners.

I wonder if the 1955 Bo Diddley song "Bring It To Jerome" influenced the positive connotation of Jerome as a lover man.

****
This concludes Part III of this pancocojams series.

Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Edited by Azizi Powell

This is Part IV of a five part pancocojams series on the male name "Jerome".

Part IV provides information about musician Jerome Green, showcases Bo Diddley's 1955 song "Bring It To Jerome" and provides my speculation that that song contributed to the perception in the United States that Jerome/is was a "Black Name".

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2020/01/the-origin-meaning-of-name-jerome.html for Part I of this pancocojams series. Part I provides information about the origin and meaning of the name "Jerome" and examples of that name's use in American [USA/Canadian] songs, movies, and television shows.

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2020/01/the-perception-of-jerome-as-black-name.html for Part II of this pancocojams series. Part II provides information and comments about the perception of "Jerome" as a "Black name" in the USA even though there are more White people named "Jerome" in the USA than there are Black people with that name.

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2020/01/united-states-mass-media-examples-that.html for Part III of this pancocojams series. Part III presents some United States mass media examples that include the name "Jerome" that may have contributed to "Jerome" being considered a Black name.

Part V showcased the 2019 Pop/R&B Lizzo song "Jerome".

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The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, aesthetic, and onomastic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Bo Diddley and Jerome Green for their musical legacies. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publisher of this sound file on YouTube.

****
INFORMATION ABOUT MUSICIAN JEROME GREEN
From https://www.allmusic.com/artist/jerome-green-mn0000325428/biography Artist Biography by Bruce Eder
"Jerome Green was a mainstay of the Chess Records label from the mid-'50s onward -- best known for playing maracas on the recordings of Bo Diddley, he also played on the records of Chuck Berry, Billy Boy Arnold, Billy Stewart, and Willie Dixon, among others. Green was, according to some sources, a tuba player who preferred jazz, but when he and Bo Diddley ended up in their first group -- the Langley Avenue Jive Cats -- at the start of the 1950s, he switched to percussion. He didn't want the hassle of moving a drum kit to their performances, however, and so chose the maracas as his instrument, and he developed a mean and distinctive sound with them. His work with Bo Diddley included a shared vocal appearance on the latter's biggest-selling pop single, "Say Man," as well as performances as a member of Bo's touring band. He was sufficiently well-known to earn a place in the narrative of the Animals single "The Story of Bo Diddley."* Jerome Green's work with Bo Diddley ended in 1964 when Green married and decided to get off the road. He passed away sometime during or around 1973."
-snip-
*An excerpt of (UK Rock band) the Animals' song "The Story of Bo Diddley" which includes a mention of Jerome Green is provided in the comment section of this pancocojams post.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THE SONG "BRING IT TO JEROME"
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pretty_Thing
"Pretty Thing" was recorded by Bo Diddley on July 14, 1955 in Chicago, Illinois – the same day as "Bring It to Jerome". Producing the session were the Chess brothers – Leonard and Phil – and Bo Diddley. The performers on the song were Bo Diddley (vocals, guitar), Jerome Green (maracas), Lester Davenport (harmonica), and Clifton James (drums).[2]
-snip-
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bo_Diddley_(1958_album) indicates that Jerome Green was also the co-lead (with Bo Diddley) on the song "Bring It To Jerome".

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SHOWCASE SONG FILE - Bo Diddley-Bring It To Jerome (High Quality)



Carlos Rasool, Oct 23, 2010

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LYRICS - BRING IT TO JEROME
(Bob Diddley, Jerome Green)

[Verse 1]
Well (Bring it to Jerome, bring it to Jerome)
Everyday I work (Bring it to Jerome)
Bringing home my pay (Bring it to Jerome)
Come to find out, baby (Bring it to Jerome)
You're giving my money away (Bring it to Jerome)

(Bring it to Jerome)
(Bring it to Jerome)
(Bring it to Jerome)

[Verse 2]
Tell me, baby (Bring it to Jerome)
What you trying to do? (Bring it to Jerome)
You ain't treating me mama (Bring it to Jerome)
Like you used to do (Bring it to Jerome)

(Bring it to Jerome)
(Bring it to Jerome)
(Bring it to Jerome)
(Bring it to Jerome)

[Verse 3]
Tell me, mama (Bring it to Jerome)
Whats wrong with you? (Bring it to Jerome)
You know, pretty baby (Bring it to Jerome)
I'm so crazy about you (Bring it to Jerome)
(Bring it to Jerome)
(Bring it to Jerome)

[Bridge]
All you pretty women
Bring it to my home
You don't have to worry

I won't do you no wrong

[Chorus]
Bring it on home
Bring it to Jerome
Bring it on home
Bring it to Jerome

[Verse 3]
Looka here, pretty baby
This mess I won't stand
All the other women
Say you got another man

[Chorus]
Bring it on home
Bring it to Jerome
Bring it on home
Bring it to Jerome

[Harmonica solo]

Source: https://genius.com/Bo-diddley-bring-it-to-jerome-lyrics

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HOW THE URBAN DICTIONARY ENTRIES' PERCEPTIONS OF THE NAME "JEROME" COINCIDES WITH THE CHARACTERIZATION OF "JEROME" IN THE SONG "BRING IT TO JEROME"
Here's an entry for the name "Jerome" from https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Jerome

"Jerome
He is the most amazing guy in the world! The ONLY amazing guy in the world! No other guy can compare to him! He is beyond your wildest dreams. He is incredibly gorgeous with a lightening smile and strong arms to carry you through life (like on auto cruise). He is sexy, sweet and a passionate kisser, very passionate. He is desired so many girls because he's incredible. he's the best bestfriend and perfect boyfriend. I love him and really i think i love him more than love it self (is that possible? Most definitely because it Jerome). He is my true love. He's a guy who is lovable, trustworthy and someone who you know will always love you and who you can love through the fabulous, freaky, low, high, awesome, incredible times. He's a guy who will be there 24/7 always there. Light hearted who can make you smile every moment of the day. He's someone to love and treat with passion and respect. He's a once in a life time guy. If you find your Jerome treasure him.
girl 1: is that your Jerome?
girl 2: oh honey, he is and my gosh! he is amazing!
girl 1: you are a lucky thing you better take good care of him! he's TREASUREFUL!

#gorgeous#amazing#sexy#love#omnipresent#funny
by bottleofbubbly119 June 29, 2010

-snip-
Notice how that entry coincides rather well with how Jerome is depicted in that Bo Diddley song.

A similar urban dictionary entry for Jerome is given in Part III of this series.

My position is that the 1955 song "Bring It To Jerome" influenced the name "Jerome" being associated with Black males and also positively influenced how the name "Jerome" was perceived.

I think that Lizzo's 2019 song entitled "Jerome" may reinforce the [mistaken] belief in the United States that "Jerome" is a Black name. However, in contrast to Bo Diddley's and Jerome Green's song "Bring It To Jerome", Lizzo's song negatively characterizes males with the name Jerome.

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This concludes Part IV of this pancocojams series.

Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Edited by Azizi Powell

This is Part V of a five part pancocojams series on the male name "Jerome".

Part V showcases the 2019 Pop/R&B Lizzo song "Jerome".

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2020/01/the-origin-meaning-of-name-jerome.html for Part I of this pancocojams series. Part I provides information about the origin and meaning of the name "Jerome" and examples of that name's use in American [USA/Canadian] songs, movies, and television shows.

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2020/01/the-perception-of-jerome-as-black-name.html for Part II of this pancocojams series. Part II provides information and comments about the perception of "Jerome" as a "Black name" in the USA even though there are more White people named "Jerome" in the USA than there are Black people with that name.

Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2020/01/united-states-mass-media-examples-that.html for Part III of this pancocojams series. Part III presents some United States mass media examples that include the name "Jerome" that may have contributed to "Jerome" being considered a Black name.

Part IV provides information about musician Jerome Green, showcases Bo Diddley's 1955 song "Bring It To Jerome" and provides my speculation that that song contributed to the perception in the United States that Jerome/is was a "Black Name".

****
The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, aesthetic, and onomastic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Lizzo for her musical legacy. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to Lizzo for publishing this video on YouTube.

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INFORMATION ABOUT LIZZO'S SONG "JEROME"
From https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/lizzo-jerome-cuz-i-love-you-823734/
APRIL 20, 2019 9:00AM ET
"Song You Need to Know: Lizzo, ‘Jerome’
On this ‘Cuz I Love You’ standout, Lizzo wishes the best for both herself and an immature lover

Lizzo’s major-label debut album, Cuz I Love You, re-introduces the world to a freshly evolved artist. While she launched her solo career years ago as a backpack rapper, the new album highlights the fact that Lizzo has since become a world-class belter, using the raw passion in her voice to unlock spiritual and emotional growth.

On “Jerome,” a standout from the tightly-produced album, Lizzo is let loose. Over an old-school R&B beat, she lets her self-actualization do the talking when it comes to sending a guy named Jerome on his way. The song is an excellent moment of stream-of-consciousness songwriting, similar to what Lizzo showed us with her 2016 track “Phone.” With “Jerome,” Lizzo narrates the thought process behind saying no to the man in front of her, wishing he would grow up and recognizing that it would do them both a favor for him to find someone better suited to handle his baggage.

This is not your typical anti-scrub anthem: Lizzo sees both sides with earnest charm. She’s fairly complimentary to the dude she kicks to the curb, recognizing that his “pretty face” can be too much of distraction while also staying firm on the fact that she deserves more than vague late-night texts. “Jerome” is a fair-game, grown-ass break-up song, wishing the best for both parties in the healthiest, sincerest way."

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SHOWCASE VIDEO: Lizzo - Jerome (Live at the 2019 American Music Awards)



Lizzo Music, Nov 26, 2019

Born in Houston and raised in Detroit, Lizzo adopted her moniker in 2011 and fronted Lizzo & the Larva Ink after moving to Minneapolis. Her work began to intertwine with the city's indie scene, allowing her to work with artists like Gayngs and Doomtree.

Since then, Lizzo has collaborated with a variety of creatives--Clean Bandit, Bastille, and Big Freedia, to name a few--and was named one of Forbes Magazine's 2018 "30 Under 30". Her top singles "Good As Hell" and "Truth Hurts" have gained over 34.5 million Spotify streams combined. In addition to headlining her own Good As Hell tour in 2017, Lizzo joined Haim on the Sister Sister Sister tour in 2018.


****
LYRICS:
(written By Sam Harris, Lizzo, Adam Levin & Casey Harris)

[Intro]
Woo, oh
Here we go again
Uh-uh, hee-hee
Uh, look, listen, shut up

[Chorus]
Jerome, Jerome
Take your ass home
And come back when you're grown
Jerome, Jerome
Go on, take your ass home
Where the peaches have thorns, ooh

[Verse 1]
Poor little baby
Who told you that you stood a chance with this royalty?
You're so sweet, bless your heart
Can't let a pretty face distract me from business
And God as my witness, your ugly ass won't either
I'm sorry, 2 AM photos with smileys and hearts
Ain't the way to my juicy parts
Boy, thank me later, looks good on paper
But love isn't easy, so I'll do the hardest part

[Chorus]
Jerome, Jerome
Go on, take your ass home
And come back when you're grown
Jerome, ooh, Jerome
Go on, take your ass home
Where the peaches have thorns

[Verse 2]
I never said I was perfect
Or you don't deserve a good person to carry your baggage
I know a few girls that can handle it
I ain't that kind of chick, but I can call 'em for you if you want
I never said that you wasn't attractive
Your style and that beard, ooh, don't get me distracted
I'm tryna be patient, and patience takes practice
The fact is I'm leaving, so just let me have this
[Chorus]
Jerome, Jerome
Take your ass home
And come back when you're grown, oh
Jerome, ooh, Jerome
Go on, take your ass home
Where the peaches have thorns

[Outro]
Hee, hee, hee, hee, hee
(Don't cry for me, baby)
Hee, hee, hee, hee, hee
Hee, hee, hee, hee, hee
(Oh, don't cry for me, baby)
Hee, hee, hee, hee, hee, hee


Source: https://genius.com/Lizzo-jerome-lyrics

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PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S FINAL NOTE
As the title of this post indicates, I wonder if Lizzo's 2019 song "Jerome" will add to what I think is a mistaken perception in the United States that "Jerome" is a Black name. That perception certainly is mistaken if by "Black name" one means a name that is exclusively or mostly given to people who self-identify as Black (African American).

Perhaps because of Bo Diddley's 1955 song "Bring It To Jerome", urban dictionary entries for the name "Jerome" (which have been quoted in this series) suggest that Jerome has had positive associations of a good lover man. Apart from whether the name "Jerome" is considered a "Black name", I wonder if Lizzo's song "Jerome" will have an negative impact on those connotations.

As I previously mentioned in this series, some commenters in the YouTube discussion thread for Erykah Badu's now iconic 1997 song "Tyrone" wrote that Lizzo's Jerome was the new Tyrone.* There's no doubt that Erykah Badu's song "Tyrone" negatively contributed to the characterization of and [therefore] the use of the name "Tyrone". I wouldn't be surprised if the name "Jerome" has already suffered from the negative effects of the name "Tyrone" because "Jerome" nearly rhymes with "Tyrone". The fact that "Jerome" almost rhymes with "Tyrone" may be one reason why that name is frequently considered a "Black name" in the United States.

It will be interested to see if Lizzo's song "Jerome" has a similar negative effect on that name as Badu's song "Tyrone" had/has on that name.

Click fhttp://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2015/07/cultural-influences-on-perception-that.html for the 2015 pancocojams post entitled "Why "Tyrone" Is Considered A "Black Name" In The United States (with information or how, why, and when this name became popular & why it lost its popularity)"

*Unfortunately, I didn't retrieve those comments when I first read them. For some reason, YouTube discussion thread comments aren't showing at this time. Hopefully, this is only a temporary glitch in the system and I can find some of the comments that refer to "Tyrone"/"Jerome" on that Erykah Badu's discussion thread that I read as well as some comments that refer to "Jerome" from the discussion thread for the Lizzo video that is embedded in this post.

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This concludes this pancocojams series.

Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post presents an excerpt of a 2005 article about old time Calypso music.

The content of this post is presented for historical, cultural, and folkloric purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owner.

Thanks to Garry Steckles for writing this article. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this article, and thanks to www.caribban-beat.com for publishing this article online.

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PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S NOTE
As a reminder, I feature excerpts of articles, pdf files, and books as a means of highlighting those writings and as a means of encouraging people to read the entire work, if possible.

This pancocojams post is part of an ongoing focus in this blog on African American names, and names and naming practices, particularly in the United States. Click the tags below for additional pancocojams post on these subjects.

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ARTICLE EXCERPT:
From https://www.caribbean-beat.com/issue-74/long-time-music-0#axzz6CUbl1ZRg
Ol’ time calypso: long time music
It took him more than 30 years, but Garry Steckles finally discovered the joys of real old-time calypso By Garry Steckles | Issue 74 (July/August 2005)
..."around 2002...thank goodness, is around the time I stumbled on a whole old world of calypso — the music that happened before 1968. Sure, I knew Sparrow’s Jean and Dinah from 1956, and a handful of “big tunes”, but I had no real clue about how utterly brilliant the calypsonians of earlier eras had been. I’m talking, particularly, about the 30s, 40s, and 50s, the key decades in which calypso as we know it today evolved from its 18th-century origins as Carnival street music and became an art form embracing every conceivable topic.

These were the decades that gave us the Roaring Lion, Atilla the Hun, Caresser, King Radio, Tiger, Pretender, Lord Invader, Lord Blakie, Lord Executor, the Growler, Sparrow, Kitchener, and dozens more.

And these guys, believe me, had a way with words. Though they seldom got international recognition, they were craftsmen on par with Cole Porter and Irving Berlin. Mostly, they were of the street, and they lived largely on the fringes of polite Trinidadian society. They drank their rum and they chased their women, but they wouldn’t have dreamed of demeaning themselves by using a word that was in questionable taste, much less of the four-letter variety.

Topics of choice ranged from major political events to everyday happenings. A nightmare trip to Grenada on an inter-island schooner. A Christmas spent in hospital. A West Indies cricket triumph. A scandal at the Treasury. Ghana’s independence. A clash between rival steel bands during Trinidad Carnival. The origins of calypso. The coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. An unfaithful or capricious lover. Avaricious London landladies. Tight-fisted concert promoters. The price of rice. A jealous husband. A dishonest politician. And, of course, there was always “smut” — lyrics rampant with double entendres and sexual innuendo, but never, ever, overtly crude or profane.

The Mighty Sparrow once told me that he saw calypso as the voice of the people. “We write about what the man in the street is saying, what he’s thinking . . . and we can say things you guys in the media could never get away with.”

A classic example of early calypsonians’ willingness to tackle difficult and controversial topics came in the late 30s, when Trinidad was in the throes of a strike by chronically underpaid oilfield workers — a turning point in the island’s history. The oil workers’ leader was Uriah “Buzz” Butler, and among their unlikely supporters were both the governor of Trinidad and Tobago, Sir Murchison Fletcher, and the acting Colonial Secretary, Howard Nankiwell, both of whom spoke in the island’s legislative council citing substandard wages and living conditions as the true cause of the strike. Their honesty cost them their jobs. It was a complex subject, and the names alone were a daunting challenge to any songwriter — but not too daunting for those old-time calypsonians.

Here’s what Atilla the Hun had to say about those turbulent times:

Han’ me the Port of Spain*
To read Mr Nankiwell’s speech again
Replete with tac’ and sympathy
Fair play and Christian charity
We promise that whatever they do
Trinidad will remember you

Imagine the moral courage of that man
In the legislative council to stan’
And give his opinion without no fear
In the midst of the members sitting there
To get to his feet and openly say
That the oppressed worker deserves more pay
We should erect, right in this city
A monument to his memory

— From Mister Nankiwell’s Speech by Atilla the Hun

And here’s Atilla’s take on the report of a crown-appointed commission into the unrest (during which, incidentally, 14 people died when police were called in to break up a rally in Fyzabad in support of the strike):

They criticise our ex-governor
The beloved Sir Murchison Fletcher
And Howard Nankiwell, they said that he
Had uttered speeches wrong to a marked degree
They castigated him severely
Our ex-Colonial Secretary
But all these things just appear to me
An example of English diplomacy

They said, through the evidence they had
That the riots started in Fyzabad
By the hooligan element under their leader
A fanatic Negro called Butler
Who uttered speeches inflammatory
And caused disorders in this colony
The only time they found the police was wrong
Was when they stay too long to shoot people down

A peculiar thing of this Commission
In that 92 pages of dissertation
Is there no talk of exploitation
Of the worker or his tragic condition
Read through the pages, there is no mention
Of capitalistic oppression
Which leads one to entertain a thought
And wonder if it’s a one-sided report

— From Commission’s Report, by Atilla the Hun

Perhaps the greatest lyricist of them all was the Roaring Lion. Here’s what he had to say towards the end of his long life about the condition of mankind — not exactly a hot topic with the shake-your-bootie brigade. This is from a song the Lion, whose legendary career started? in the 30s,?recorded in 1993:

If your grandpas were slaves centuries ago, what’s that got to do with you?
You were never slaves, you were free, and also quite independent too
It is true that whites bought African slaves and treated them like pigs in a pen
But according to history who sold those slaves
Was blacks sold blacks to white men

But we’re all God’s children and we need one another
This the Bible has emphasised
So regardless of colour you better believe
Six feet of earth makes us all one size

— From Six Feet of Earth by the Roaring Lion

It’s a far, far cry from the music that reigns in the Caribbean today.


* Attila was using the common term for the Port of Spain Gazette


© MEP Publishers | Ol' time calypso: long time music | Caribbean Beat Magazine https://www.caribbean-beat.com/issue-74/long-time-music-0#ixzz6CUby0FzV
To reproduce an excerpt of this article, please ensure you include a link back (see above)... caribbeanbeat on Facebook


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Thanks for visiting pancocojams.

Visitor comments are welcome.

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post showcases a sound file of and lyrics for the early Calypso song "Jail Them" by Roaring Lion (Rafael de Leon).

Information about Roaring Lion is also included in this post.

The content of this post is presented for folkloric, historical, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.

Thanks to Roaring Lion for his musical legacy. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this post. Special thanks to Guest, jail them for sure and Guest Alexander D Great for their transcription of this song, and thanks to the publisher of this sound file on YouTube.
-snip-
Most of the content of this post was originally published on pancocojams in 2013.

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INFORMATION ABOUT CALYPSONIAN ROARING LION
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roaring_Lion
"Roaring Lion (born Rafael de Leon) (22 February 1908 – 11 July 1999)[2] was a calypsonian (calypso singer/composer). His 65-year career began in the early 1930s and he is best known for his compositions "Ugly Woman" (1933), "Mary Ann" and "Netty, Netty", which are still performed today. The song "If You Wanna Be Happy", which hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 on 18 May 1963, as well as the R&B singles chart,[3] is based on Roaring Lion's "Ugly Woman"...

From a young age, Roaring Lion (de Leon's adopted stage name) became known for his skill in creating calypsos (particularly in his ability to extemporize lyrics on any subject). Contrary to his humble origins, he cultivated a refined stage persona and always appeared sharply dressed...

Roaring Lion achieved fame for his linguistic prowess as much as for his catchy tunes. His lyrics, delivered in rapid-fire style, show an impeccable command of the English language (as well as Trinidadian slang), and are replete with witty turns of phrase, humorous metaphors, and clever alliteration and internal rhymes...

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SHOWCASE SOUND FILE: Jail Them - Roaring Lion



cool4rocknroll,Uploaded on Dec 12, 2010

Jail Them
Roaring Lion
Calypso Season
Mango
T&T 1989

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LYRICS: JAIL THEM
(Roaring Lion)

Jail them (or 'dem'), before it's too late
Jail all these back market reprobates
Murder, John public can't buy
They raising the price of foodstuffs too high.

Day after day there's a hue and cry,
They can't buy food, the price is too high,
Black market is rampant through rank and file,
Bobol and profiteering is now the style.

No use to lament comment nor wail,
From Caesar to Caesar to no avail,
It's everywhere to be seen,
The law is being contravened,
So the police should intervene-ah

Jail them...

Bush doctors are doing a raging trade,
To charge for their bushes they are not afraid,
Sixty cents for a piece of shadow bengy
A dollar for a twig of timawi
Ninety cents for two leaves of kuzay maho
The damn bush is growing right in front your door.
There's every where to be seen,
The law is being contravened,
So the police should intervene-ah

Jail them...

-snip-
This transcription is a combination of the lyrics for this song that were posted by Guest,jail them for sure Date: 12 Jul 09 - 11:01 PM and Guest, Alexander D Great Date: 01 Aug 09 - 11:01 AM on http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=22819&messages=13 Lyr Req: Jail Them (Rafael de Leon / Roaring Lion). Any corrections or additions are welcome.

Here's another post [comment] by Guest Alexander D Great from that same mudcat folk music forum discussion thread:

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Jail Them (Rafael de Leon / Roaring Lion)
From: GUEST,Alexander D Great
Date: 01 Aug 09 - 11:01 AM

Hello everyone,I just want to clarify a few things about these lyrics.
With Guest's permisson I shall refer to their posting on 12th July of the lyrics and make the following adjustments.

Line 8 "Boller" is, in fact, "bobol", which is a common word for corruption in trinidad.

Line 17 is "shadow bengy" , line 18 is "timawi", line 19 is "kuzay maho", all types of herbs used in cooking.

Line 20 is "the damn bush is growing right in front your door.

Alex

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Viewer comments are welcome.

Edited by Azizi Powell

This pancocojams post presents an excerpt of pdf by Maude Dikobe entitled "Historical Culture of Gender and Hetero/Sexual Violence in Calypso in Trinidad: Treat ‘Em Rough".

[I don't see a date for this pdf which may be from a chapter in a published book.]

With one exception, this excerpt is given without its accompanying notes.

The content of this post is presented for historical, cultural, and folkloric purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owner.

Thanks to Maude Dikobe for writing this book and pdf. Thanks also to all those who are quoted in this article, and thanks to http://genderlinks.org.za for publishing this pdf online.
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Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2020/01/bajan-calypsonian-singing-francine.html for the closely related pancocojams post entitled "(Bajan Calypsonian) Singing Francine- "Runaway" (a Calypso song about spousal abuse)"

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PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S NOTE
As a reminder, I feature excerpts of articles, pdf files, and books as a means of highlighting those writings and as a means of encouraging people to read the entire work, if possible.

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EXCERPT FROM PDF
http://genderlinks.org.za/wp-content/uploads/imported/articles/attachments/historical_culture_of_gender_hetersexual_violence_maude_dikobe.pdf"Historical Culture of Gender and Hetero/Sexual Violence in Calypso in Trinidad: Treat ‘Em Rough" By Maude Dikobe [in] GENDER & MEDIA DIVERSITY JOURNAL [page 117-125] (2007?)
"Abstract
Gender based violence is pervasive staple of Trinidad’s calypso music, presented and encouraged in some male calypsonians’ lyrics for a long time. A new breed of female caplyso singers are now turning the tide, using the lyrics to speak out against gender violence in the country. This paper explores a female point of view on gender-related violence such as rape, incest, sexual harassment, and shaming. Calypso lyrics sung by men will be read against calypsos sung by women (particularly Singing Sonia and Singing Sandra), many of which are eloquent responses to the verbal and physical abuses to which women are subjected in Trinidad.

This song is dedicated to all the children who are victims of incest.
-- “Jenny’s Dilemma”… Singing Sonia
You got to love me or leave me
Or live with Miss Dorothy
This time is too hard
For me to mind a man that is bad
--“Love Me or Leave Me,” Lady Iere

Calypso and gender
Calypso is an icon of Trinidadian identity and culture. Yet, this often ignores how it simultaneously
obscures and perpetuates the acceptance of sexual violence.

[...]

PAGE 117

[...]

Calypso’s overwhelming endorsement of violence against women cannot be overstated. Stereotypical
representation in calypso of women as sexually forward, cheats, unhygienic, and so on, helps to
control them. One has only to recall “Dorothy” a sexual archetype about whom countless calypsos have been
written:2 Dorothy personifies many of the worst stereotypes about women in Trinidad: She is “a stuckup slut whose only positive aspect is her seductive availability.” Given her immodesty and deceitfulness, she deserves to be “controlled.” The lyrics below, from Roaring Lion’s My Darling Dorothy (c. 1944) are emblematic of countless examples that can serve to summarise the character of women as portrayed in male lyrics:

Good Lord since I marry Dorothy she had me going crazy
(x2)
When is good I can’t stand the pressure
She want me to commit murder
She has a sailor man
She has a Chinee man
Then she left a Chinee man
To come with a police man
Then she left the yankee man
And go pick up the steel band man….
-- “My Darling Dorothy,” Roaring Lion

[...]


While various forces in society mediate calypso lyrics, it is important to understand how lyrics contribute to sexual violence. Calypsos often reflect social reality; the attitudes towards women they express serve as evidence of dominant gender ideology at different historical points. The violent nature of so many calypso lyrics helps one to understand scenarios where the imagined violence in calypso lyrics would be translated into real physical torment of women...

The question of whether violent art causes or reflects real violence in society is still being widely debated. Many Trinidadian women believe that misogynistic calypso lyrics do nurture certain attitudes, especially widespread violence against them: “We believe that the many ills, such as wife battering, rape and assault, incest and other effects in our society today, can be attributed to the lack of respect to our women.”3

[...]

Love Me or Leave Me: Feminine Accents In Calypso
It would be wrong to treat the misogynistic lyrics sung by male calypsonians as if they were
unmediated. The overtly feminist lyrics of two calypsonians, Singing Sonia and Singing Sandra,
building on lyrics of earlier female calypsonians, such as Lady Iere’s “Love Me or Leave Me,” and Singing
Francine’s “Run Away” thwart conventional representations of women in calypso as they focus on
women’s interests and concerns – woman as subjects, not objects.

If she bring she friends to visit the house
You insulting she you calling them louse
If she talk to Greg you say she with he
Like she is a slot puppy
Morning noon and night you blowing she mind
You binging she old, old before she time
Seven years you living in misery
Woman runaway, woman, runaway, woman run away
from he
--“Runaway,” Singing Francine

The existence of such articulate feminist commentaries forces the audience to reexamine
some stereotypes traditionally associated with women in calypso, as they finally hear the story from
the woman’s point of view. Where do these songs stand in relation to traditional calypsos? They stand
firmly grounded in women’s lived experiences, and force the listeners to scrutinise everyday events in
feminist terms.

For instance, when Singing Francine wrote a calypso about women in abusive relationships, her simple,
authoritative advice was far different from Atilla’s male-bonding urge toward violence. Francine told her
listeners to resist such violence by any means necessary, and take defensive action. Her song title says it all: “Run Away” (1979).

Loud debates in parliament on the need to end sexual violence often complement female calypsonians’ social commentaries.18 The small but deter-mined feminist movement in Trinidad should have increased awareness of the need to address these social problems; this, in turn, led to more feminist themes in calypso (Mohammed, 1991, Reddock, 1998, Massiah, 1988)

PAGE 123
The increasing presence of women on the calypso music scene, the impact of the kinds of topics they
cover, and the unique ways in which they cover them, all force us to acknowledge the fact that
the personal concerns they bring to the table are profoundly political. This is ironic, considering
that traditionally the only way a woman’s calypso might be credited as political would be if it had a
patriotic thrust, i.e., if it were a “nation building” calypso.

Equalising Acts: Death to Raperman
Among contemporary female calypsonians, no one has been more consistent in her focus on sexual
violence than Singing Sandra (Sandra Des Vignes). Her ongoing interest is visible in the titles of her
songs: “Raperman” (1984), “Sexy Employers” (or “Die With My Dignity”) (1987), and “Equaliser” (1994).
In “Equaliser” (written by Christopher Grant) Sandra makes no attempt to hide her anger at, and hatred
for, the brutal purveyors of sexual violence. On the contrary, she describes herself as the “Equaliser,” the
only one capable of punishing the perpetrators. Impatient with rhetoric, she demands a real commitment on the part of the legal system in Trinidad to ensure equal rights for both women and men:

We tired beg, we tired plead
Still man wouldn’t hear.
Everyday they making we bleed,
Stick break in de ear.
And the authorities; is nothing dey doing,
The law needs reviewing.
Is time to get tough,
I know exactly what to do
Send them to me,
Enough is enough.
--“Equaliser,” Singing Sandra

Sandra had sung on rape before, notably in her 1984 calypso “Raperman” – but this time she appeared
on stage with a pair of rusty garden shears, ready to punish sex offenders by chopping off their testicles.
Delivered with powerful conviction and an almostterrifying fury, her merciless song some male calypsonians strongly criticised her as being unnecessarily graphic and violent. However, woman’s columnist Donna Pierre described it as “[T]he voice of abused
and battered women everywhere, sending a strong message to both the men who inflict such pain, and
the powers that be who cannot yet decide upon a penalty appropriate for such crimes.”19 Like “Die With
My Dignity” (1987), this calypso has come to be considered one of Sandra’s trademark songs

Feminist singers like these give advice to women on how to deal with sexual violence: Whether it is
Francine telling battered women to run away, Singing Sonia drawing our attention to shameful sexual
abuses in the home, or Singing Sandra threatening to castrate rapists, these songs spoke directly woman to woman. Although most female calypsonians resist the “feminist” label, that doesn’t stop them from addressing female issues in their calypso.

In “Die With My Dignity” (also known as “Sexy Employers”) Singing Sandra might be talking about
every woman applying for a job when she observes:
You looking out to find something to do
You meet a boss man who promise to help you
But when the man lay down the condition
Is nothing else but humiliation
They want to see your whole anatomy
They want to see whey yuh doctor never see
They want you to do whey yuh husband never do…
To get a job these days as a woman!
Brother they go keep their money
I go keep my honey
And die with my dignity
--“Die With My Dignity,” Singing Sandra

Moreover, in a calypso entitled “Professional Advice” (1992) Singing Sonia (and her songwriter,
Shadow) capture the situation in which female calypsonians struggle to gain recognition and
respect in the highly competitive and manipulative world of calypso:

PAGE 124
They are some sharks looking for bait
They want to bite then kill you still
Don’t let them use you like a tool
Or you will become a fool
Stand up for all your rights
And fight them with all your might.
--“Professional Advice,” Singing Sonia

Overall, many female calypsonians’ lyrics urge their listeners to recognise the sexism still operating in
Trinidad society, and its attendant sexual violence.
By persistently foregrounding female experience, both Sonia, Sandra, and their sisters usher in
gender dissent that is not even on the radar for most male calypsonians. They counsel women to
express themselves with dignity, and foster awareness of their rights. Female calypsonians
continue to “do their thing” as per Calypso Rose’s song title – joined by women from all walks of life
as they demand that their voices not only be heard, but be respected.

While there is no single response to the challenges presented by gender violence (not even Sandra’s
“Equaliser”) broadening our understanding of sexual violence can help foster a culture that has zero
tolerance for such barbaric acts.

Thanks to the female calyponians, women in Trinidad are being heard at last – through calypso lyrics,
parliamentary speeches, focus groups, rallies, television commentary, talk-show call-ins, the
presence of female programme hosts and steelband critics on the radio, and much more. The fact
that some of the songs about sexual violence performed by these women are, in fact,
collaborations between the singers and the men who write for them, demonstrates that sexual
violence is not only a woman’s problem, but a national problem as well. To borrow the words of two
African diasporic sisters, Singing Sandra and Aretha Franklin, as women fight gender discrimination
they demand R.E.S.P.E.C.T.

Notes
2. Calypsos on Dorothy include “Don’t Hide Behind the Door, Dorothy” (Growler),
“Don’t Tickle Me, Dorothy” (Beginner), “Dorothy Went to Bathe” (Lion), “Leave
Me Alone, Dorothy” (Destroyer), “My Troubles With Dorothy” (Executer), and
perhaps the most cleverly political “Dorothy” song, “Wait, Dorothy, Wait” (Black
Stalin).

writer's bio

Maude M. Dikobe is a lecturer in the English Department at the University of Botswana, where
she teaches literature and the expressive arts of the African Diaspora. Her dissertation research focused
on contested expressions of gender and sexuality by women performers in Trinidadian [sic]"

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