26.10.1911 - 27.01.1972
My name is Thilo Plaesser
and I am delighted to welcome you to this interesting website.
This project is dedicated to the life and work of the incomparable Mahalia Jackson. It is a cultural research project that was created without financial interests and is available online free of charge.
A compendium about Mahalia Jackson
This compendium is intended for musicologists, musicians, and all lovers of Mahalia Jackson's music, her life, and her impressive legacy. The focus of my work is to remember, preserve, and reevaluate her work. This project is based on my extensive private collection, which includes countless books, records, CDs, cassettes, DVDs, original photos, programs, magazines, and much more, which serve primarily as sources for the texts and articles published here.
Timeliness
Today, at a time when values such as equality, justice, and standing up for the vulnerable are more important than ever, Mahalia Jackson's message is remarkably relevant. She was not only an exceptional artist, but also a courageous activist who used her voice and influence to support the civil rights movement. Her faith, strength, and unwavering hope are an inspiration that will endure for generations to come. Her music and her life remind us that we all have a role to play in creating a better world.
Challenges posed by copyright law
Unfortunately, I cannot present everything I would like to show—in particular, the many photos, including numerous originals from my own collection. The reason for this is copyright law, which I naturally respect. However, this law dates back to the "pre-internet era" and urgently needs to be updated. This deprives researchers in particular of many opportunities. Since there are also people who specifically search the internet for copyright infringements, regardless of the intention (research without financial interests), the risk for a private individual is unfortunately too high due to the potentially enormous financial consequences.
This compendium is continuously updated and expanded. I cordially invite you to immerse yourself in the world of Mahalia Jackson and rediscover her extraordinary legacy.
Please excuse any mistakes. English is not my native language, so I cannot rule out errors.
INTENTION
Research and exchange
With this online compendium, I would like to create a central point of contact for academic and personal engagement with Mahalia Jackson's work.
Preservation
My project is committed to preserving the cultural heritage of this extraordinary artist for future generations and preventing it from being forgotten.
Disclosure
A central concern of this project is to make Mahalia's legacy and her message accessible to a wide audience.
Inspiration for future generations
By sharing their lives and their music, I want to inspire young people in particular and teach them about the importance of art, faith, and commitment.
Convey joy
Ultimately, the archive aims to convey the joy of their unique music and profound work: to listen to, read, sing, and make music yourself.
Through this online archive, I want to ensure that Mahalia Jackson's immortal voice and her tireless commitment to humanity and civil rights will continue to touch and move people in the future.
Collaboration
I would like to encourage you to get involved!
If you have any information or relevant contributions, please feel free to contact me and become part of this exciting project. I look forward to hearing from you.
Acknowledgements
I would like to highlight four particularly dear and intense contacts:
- Minister Valerie Nero, Mahalia Jackson's grandniece, and
““President of Mahalia Jackson Family Residual Corporation“.
In the following video, Minister Valerie Nero talks at length about her aunt:
My 100th YouTube video in honor of Mahalia Jackson
- Mr. Sherman Housten Jr., author of the book “Moving on up a Little Higher,“
“Champion of Freedom through Song“.
- Dr. Charles Clency, organist for Mahalia Jackson from 1967 to 1972.
- Mr. Devik Wiener, for the interesting conversations and his
willingness to support this project with some photos!
Thank you for the exchange and the motivation!
I hope you enjoy exploring,
Thilo Plaesser
You can find more information about me and my motivation here!
Copyright
Protection, prohibitions, and consequences
Copyright is the legal protection for intellectual creations—from texts and music to paintings and photos. Unfortunately, many people, especially younger ones, are unsure how to deal with this right or interpret it in their own way. However, ignorance does not protect you from the consequences!
This right serves to protect and honor creative achievements and to ensure that creators receive recognition and an economic basis for their work.
What copyright protects
Copyright protects the work. This can be a photo, an article, a text, a graphic, a composition, or a video.
It also protects moral rights.
The creator's conceptual relationship to their work. For photographers, it protects in particular the personal intellectual creation in the choice of framing, perspective, lighting, and moment. Simpler photos (photographs) also enjoy related protection.
What you are NOT allowed to do without the author's consent
The creator has exclusive exploitation rights. Without the express consent (license) of the author, you may not perform the following actions:
Reproduce
Copying, digitizing, or transferring the work to other data carriers (for example, saving a photo from a website or copying a text). Distributing: Offering the original or copies of the work for sale to the public or putting them into circulation.
Make publicly available
Making the work available to the public via the Internet (for example, uploading a song to YouTube or posting a picture on social media).
Edit or redesign
Modify, translate, or transform the work (for example, crop a photo, alter it with filters, or rewrite a text).
Performing, presenting, or broadcasting
Present the work publicly.
Anyone who performs these actions without permission is violating copyright law.
Consequences of copyright infringement
Copyright infringement can result in severe penalties. Financial claims: Infringers may be subject to injunctions and damages.
High costs
Three- to four-figure sums per photo are not uncommon, and that's before legal fees are taken into account. The aim is to leave economic control of the work with the creator and to protect their rights.
The entire content of this page is protected by copyright and may not be used without permission. However, sharing the link to the original website is expressly encouraged!
Due to the complexity and the completely changed media landscape, copyright law urgently needs to be revised. Until then, however, the current legal situation applies.
I also respect and observe copyright law.
If, despite all the care I have taken in my work, anyone feels that their rights have been infringed, please contact me so that we can clarify the matter.
All content © Thilo Plaesser, 2025
(unless otherwise specified)
Mahalia Jackson also frequently had to fight for her copyright and fair payment. Read an interesting article on the subject:
Mahalia Jackson's battle for copyright
Together, we can ensure that everyone's creative achievements are protected and appreciated.
Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.