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Born June 23, 1904, in Rolling Fork, MS
Died February 2, 1994, in St. Louis, MO
Mother Smith, known as the mother of gospel music, traveled the country singing and preaching. Her exuberant, moving style helped bring the gospel blues to prominence. An ordained minister, she preached at a church in St. Louis for 30 years. She was the focus of the acclaimed 1982 documentary film Say Amen, Somebody. In 1988 the National Endowment for the Arts declared her a “living treasure,” awarding her a National Heritage Fellowship in recognition of her contributions as an outstanding American folk artist.