Content area
Full text
Dr. Margaret Pleasant Douroux (b. 1941), a noted California- based minister of music, pianist, composer, music publisher, educator, author, clinician, and lecturer is considered by many to be the "Reigning Queen of African American Gospel Hymnody."
She holds degrees from California State College, The University of Southern California, and The University of Beverly Hills. Following in the rich legacy of African American women hymnwriters Roberta Martin, Lucie E. Campbell, and Doris Akers, Margaret Douroux's hymns are finding their way into mainline denominational hymnals and supplements. "Give Me a Clean Heart," published in 1970 and based on Psalm 51:10, first appeared in The New National Baptist Hymnal in 1979, (#349) arranged by Albert Denis Tessier. Later it appeared in Lead Me, Guide Me: The African American Catholic Hymnal in 1987 (#279), Lift Every Voice and Sing II: An African American Hymnal in 1993 (#124), For the Living of These Days: Resources for Enriching Worship (#28), The New Century Hymnal in 1995 (#188), This Far By Faith: An African American Resource for Worship in 1999 (#216), The Faith We Sing, compiled primarily as a supplement to the 1989 United Methodist Hymnal (#2133), and Sing! A New Creation, co-published by The Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, Faith Alive Christian Resources, and the Office of Worship of the Reformed Church of America, in 2002 (#64). In some instances only the chorus appears.
In 2001, "Give Me a Clean Heart" appeared in The African American Heritage Hymnal (#461) along with her other hymns "Day and Night Praise" (#115), "High Praise" (#181), "How Do You Recognize a Child of God" (#266), "What Shall I Render" (#389), and "One More Day" (#538). In the same year, in addition to several of the aforementioned, "Give Me a Clean Heart" appeared in The New National Baptist Hymnal: 21st Century Edition (#545) along with a Christmas hymn "The Angels Sang" (#99), "The Lord is Speaking" (#169), and "Stand Still" (#519). Another very popular gospel hymn by Douroux, "If It Had Not Been for the Lord," based on Psalm 124:1 and published in 1980, first appeared in For the Living of These Days (#13) and The Faith We Sing (#2053).
Three previously unpublished gospel hymns in mainline denominational hymnals or supplements by Douroux appear in...