The Essex Hymnal Collection dates from 1774 to 1920 and illuminates the changing history of the United States over a 150 year period. The collection traces the development of the American religious experience through its 443 identified hymnals. These include psalms, tune books, children's hymnals, revival and camp meeting songbooks, Sunday School and multi-denominational hymnals. Represented are abolition, temperance, patriotic and social gospel hymns. Distinct differences can be observed between colonial, pre-Civil War, Civil War, and post-Civil War hymnals. The Essex Collection represents hymnals from a wide spectrum of Christian denominations, and the Jewish religion. Some volumes are shape-note editions while many others are accompanied by instruction in the rudiments of music. One of the collection's greatest strengths is its coverage of significant Sunday School hymnals. Also noteworthy is the existence of several editions or revisions of the same hymnal, which allows for study of a particular hymnal's evolution over time. The Essex Hymnals represent a unique collection of primary source materials of interest not only to serious scholars, but also to elementary and secondary schoolteachers for classroom use, as well as to the general public interested in American culture and music.

Essex Hymnal Titles (Bibliography)

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Library and Information Services
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Updated by Kristin Walker
April 2005