July Hymn History

     'America The Beautiful' was written by Katherine Lee Bates, a 33 year old English literature teacher, while “on a merry expedition up Pikes Peak” in Colorado in 1893. While she looked “over the sea-like expanse of fertile country Spreading away so far under those ample skies.” She said “the opening lines of the hymn floated into my mind”                                                                      It has been song at many of our patriotic holidays, solemnly sang out side the White House in 1941 after Pearl Harbor and six decades later at Ground Zero after 9/11. In 1979, Pope John Paul II recited its fervent prayer — “America, America, God shed his grace on thee” — as he descended from his plane on his first trip to this country.      There have been many memorable recordings and renditions — from Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Willie Nelson, Mariah Carey and others                                                                                                                                                                                            The music for the Hymn also has an interesting history and actually comes from New Jersey. Sam Ward was the organist at Grace Episcopal Church in Newark, and one weekend he and a friend, Harry Martin went to Coney Island.  As Sam and Harry rode the sidewheeler back to Manhattan, leaning on the boat rail, drew a staff and clef and wrote the melody of 'America The Beautiful'.                                                                                                                                                                                            This was 1882, more than a decade before Katharine Lee Bates wrote her poem.  As far as Sam Ward was concerned, his Coney Island melody was written to be sung to the hymn "O Mother Dear, Jerusalem". It was attached to Bates’ words in 1904 after his death. Sam Ward and Katherine Bates never met or knew each other.                                                              O beautiful for spacious skies                                                                                                                  For amber waves of grain
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!