Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-11-12
HOW DIXIE" CAME
INTO EXISTENCE
Was Written in New York for
Neutrality-suspicious.
of Word.

Songs may come and songs may go.
but some songs go on forever. One
ii the forever" appears TO be
Dixie Once appropriated to the
service of the Confederacy as bat
tie song. its use and popularity are
now national--in fact. one hears II
ne world over. Few know the words
of 'Dixie," yet so contagiously pleas
ing is its music that il has become u
song without words of universal ap-
peal
Many stories are related, with more
OF less authority by the tellers, as TO
how the song came to be composed
end as 10 the origin and significance
OF the word pixie" There is, how
ever. no doubt as to its authorship.
Il was written by Daniel Decatur
Emmett in 1888 while he was mem
Der of Bryant's MINISTRIES. whose
theatre was at 472 Broadway, New
York.
The story Of how it came 10 be
written was often told by Emmett.
Under his contract he was obliged.
whenever called upon, TO compose a
now walk around to be sung at the
Ctose Of each performance. II was on
one of these occasions that he wrote
ssDiSie"--on very short notice. as he
u. 4
programs show. on September L, 1859.
Il program of that date reads: The
performance to conclude with Dan
Ismmetts original plantation song
and dance, Dixie Land, introduce
ing the whole troupe in their festival
dsncs."
As to the origin and significance
OF the word Dixie, Mr. Emmett
said that it was suggested to him n
this way: As soon as cold. wtntry
weather set in up North the min
strels Of his company would WISH
themselves back in Dixie's land.
'.On very cold day it was COM
mon for them to say longingly. -.
wish I was in DiXie's land. AS
to the meaning OF the word Dixie
as thus used it was vaguely sup
posed TO be diIninutive of Dixon,
denoting any place south of Mason
and Dixon's line Another authority,
the New York Musical Age. long
extinct, had connected it with one
Dixie. Long Island farmer, who
harbored runaway female slaves, ana
treated them SO kindly that ms
asylum became known far and Woe
among the negroes: hence, when,
from time to time, the wife of a slave
would make a successful getaway
around that she was in Dixie Land.
but Whatever the origin Of the word
aDixien may have been the song
aDixie' first spran2 into popularity
ia New Orleans in the fall of 1860
where 1t was SUNG in Il theatre at the
close of a spectacular performance by
Il troupe of young women dressed as
zouaVes. Its suscess was instan-
tsneols, and from the Gresctn City it'll
rapidly spread 10 Confederate battle
fields. soon becoming firmly estab-
lished az the Southern war song.
It is said that the members Of
New York band. Menter's, brought
rhe song back with them from New
orleans. whittier they had gone on an
invitation of the New Orleans fire
companies. to play in a parade of the
fire department
Thus this wonderful song, composed
by q Northern man with Northern
syDpathies, SO fired the hearts and
imagination Of Southerners that in
less than a year. by the end of 1860,
il was played the length and breadth
II the Southland, arousing the widest
enthusiasm wherever heard. 1t was
even sung at the Inauguration OF
Jefferson Davis in Montgomery, Ala.
IL 1861.
The tune soon caught on" with |
Northerners and it's words were /
THionized. there being several YER I
sions with the original wording |
to stirring Union sentiments. /
The song as Emmett originally wrote I
II is 10 be found in old song books.
Daniel Decatur Emmett was born
at Mt Vernon. O., in 1915, and there
he died in 1908 His Irish grandfather
served IN the War Of the Revolution,
and his father, an indian agent,
fought in the War OF 1872. Dan"
while still in his teens. composed the
1nce popular "Old Dan Tucker" After
! short military career he joined
circus. and in $40, with four others, f
organized the Virginia Minstrels,"
8ho first played at Purdy's Theatre, /
N the Bowery New York. Emmett /
spent several years in Chicago. He |
made his last public appearance in |
800 in Ohio.
The publication OF his song Dixie" /
was followed by many limitations. On |
the heels Of ii in 1860 came u Wish T
! Was IN Dixie, by J. Neweomb. /
the words being almost the same as I
r,y,1rupftt9