[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 209 (Thursday, December 21, 2017)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1755]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        HONORING MARY COBB-HILL

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BARBARA LEE

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, December 21, 2017

  Ms. LEE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the remarkable life of 
Mary Alice Cobb-Hill, a singer, and pianist, and impresario of the 
negro spiritual, who passed away on December 9, 2017.
  Ms. Hill was born in Oakland, California on March 16, 1945 to Mary 
Magdalene and Roosevelt Cobb. Her parents instilled in her from an 
early age a love of music, and in particular the spiritual and gospel 
music which was a staple of their family worship services. Mary's 
mother was a teacher, and she imbued the music with a strong 
understanding of the history behind it, especially the experiences of 
the black struggles for freedom from slavery.
  Mary attended Golden Gate Academy in Oakland, and later studied at 
Merritt and Laney Colleges, along with the Pacific Union. She also took 
private music lessons in classical opera singing.
  Mary made the preservation of the Negro spiritual her lifelong 
passion. Throughout her life, she spent more than 50 years singing and 
performing in this historical tradition. She also worked to advance the 
tradition by writing three original musicals, Flowers from Heaven, Dis 
Train, and The Seven Exaltations of Simeon of Cyrene.
  In addition to her work as a performer and writer, Ms. Hill also 
dedicated her life to teaching others about the history and technique 
of the Negro spiritual. She founded and served as the creative director 
for the Voices of Legacy, a community choir that performs in churches, 
schools, and community events, and was selected to perform at the 
inauguration of then mayor Dianne Feinstein in San Francisco. Through 
her work as an educator, Ms. Hill has trained scores of new performers 
and fostered a love of the Negro spiritual tradition in new 
generations.
  Through her tireless efforts, Ms. Hill endeavored to use the Negro 
spiritual tradition to maintain a link between those whose experience 
and yearning for freedom initially created the music, and modern 
generations who can learn from that struggle to continue the push for 
true equality. I am grateful to her for her dedication to promoting 
African American culture and history, and keeping alive the stories and 
traditions of our ancestors.
  Ms. Hill is survived by her husband, Carl, and her daughters 
Maranatha and Gabrielle, as well as her grandchildren Duane, Josiah, 
and Nicole. She is also survived by her brothers Paul & Michael, her 
sisters Gloria Jean, and Sharon, and their families.
  Today, on behalf of California's 13th Congressional District, it is 
my honor to commend the life and achievements of Ms. Mary Alice Cobb-
Hill. I offer my sincere gratitude for her continued commitment to 
promote the arts and arts education, and for the profound legacy she 
has left in our East Bay community. I also offer my condolences to Ms. 
Cobb-Hill's family and friends as they cope with this immeasurable loss 
and join together to celebrate her life.

                          ____________________