Were You There

"Were You There (When They Crucified My Lord)" is an African-American spiritual that was first printed in 1899. It was likely composed by enslaved African Americans in the 19th century.^[1]

The song was first published in William Eleazar Barton's 1899 Old Plantation Hymns^[1] but was described in writings prior to this publication.^[2][3][4] In 1940, it was included in the Episcopal Church hymnal, making it the first spiritual to be included in any major American hymnal.^[5][6] It is also unique in that it is the only African-American song included in the Catholic Church's Liturgy of the Hours.

As reported in Howard Thurman's autobiography, the song was one of Mahatma Gandhi's favorites.^[7] The song has been recorded by artists including Paul Robeson,^[8] Marion Williams,^[9] Johnny Cash,^[10] Roy Acuff,^[11] Phil Keaggy,^[12] Max Roach,^[13] Diamanda Galás,^[14] Harry Belafonte,^[15] The Seldom Scene,^[16] Diamond Version (with Neil Tennant),^[17] Bayard Rustin,^[18] Rajaton,^[19] Millennial Choirs and Orchestras,^[20] and Chris Rice.^[21] A writer from the Indianapolis News wrote about Paul Robeson's rendition, saying that "It was as startling and vivid a disclosure of reverent feeling of penetrating pathos as one could imagine."^[22]