Oh! Reign Massa Jesus Reign: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

A framed black-and-white photograph and vinyl record. Both are framed in white matting. The black-and-white photograph is positioned above the record.

2010.59.2a: The black-and-white photograph depicts a group of four men and five women in early 1900s attire. Some of the men and women sit, while other stand. The photograph was taken in the 1870s.

2010.59.2b: The black vinyl 78 rpm record is below the photographic print. It has a blue Columbia label in its center which reads: [Oh! Reign Massa Jesus Reign / Sung by / Fisk University Jubilee Singers / A2901 / 78901]. Additional writing detailing the price, music type, and the maker is also on the label. [78901] is etched into the vinyl.

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: 1870s; ca. 1909
• Recorded by: Fisk Jubilee Singers, American, founded 1871
• Created by: Columbia Records, American, founded 1888
• Subject of: Benjamin W. Thomas
• Subject of: Frederick J. Loudin, 1836 - 1904
• Subject of: Ella Sheppard, American, 1851 - 1915
• Subject of: Hinton D. Alexander, American
• Subject of: Thomas Rutling, American, born 1854
• Subject of: Maggie L. Porter, American, born 1853
• Type: frames (furnishings)
• Type: photographs
• Type: 78 rpm records
• Medium: mat board with photographic materials , vinyl
• Dimensions: H x W (in frame): 15 × 22 × 1 in. (38.1 × 55.9 × 2.5 cm)
• Dimensions: H x W (black and white photograph): 5 3/4 × 9 in. (14.6 × 22.9 cm)
• Dimensions: Diameter (vinyl): 9 15/16 in. (25.2 cm)
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Education
• Topic: HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities)
• Topic: Photography
• Topic: Spirituals (Music)
• Object number: 2010.59.2ab
• Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
• Data Source: National Museum of African American History and Culture

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of African American History and Culture through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed. The underlying object's rights statement is: No Known Copyright Restrictions Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.