Delia Green
Encyclopedia
Delia Green a fourteen-year-old African-American murder
victim, has been identified as the likely inspiration for several well-known traditional American songs, usually known by the titles "Delia" and "Delia's Gone."
, Georgia
, after an argument earlier in the evening. Houston, the newspapers implied, had been involved in a sexual relationship with Green for several months. The shooting took place at the home of Willie West, who chased down Houston after the shooting and turned him over to the city police.
Green's murder and Houston's trial in the spring of 1901 were reported in the Savannah Morning News
and the Savannah Evening Press. Although Houston reportedly had confessed to the murder at the time of his arrest, at trial he claimed the shooting was accidental. Other witnesses, however, testified that Houston had become angry after Green called him "a son of a bitch."
Houston was convicted and sentenced to life in prison, on the jury's recommendation of mercy. After serving more than twelve years, he was paroled by Governor John M. Slaton
in 1913. Accounts of his later life are sketchy, but he is said to have died in New York City
in 1927 after other brushes with the law.
Delia Green was buried in an unmarked grave in Laurel Grove Cemetery South in Savannah.
reported to the Library of Congress
that he had traced the songs back to a murder in Savannah, and that he had interviewed both Green's mother and the police officer who took Houston into custody. Gordon's research was never published, however, and Green's relationship to the popular songs was essentially unknown until John Garst, working from hints left by Gordon, turned up the details in Savannah newspaper archives.
The songs inspired by Green's short life and murder now split into two forms, both staples of the "folk revival" of the 1950s and early 1960s. One version, usually attributed to Blake Alphonso Higgs
(the calypso singer also known as "Blind Blake"), is known as "Delia's Gone," and is explicitly told from her killer's point of view. "Delia's Gone" was prominently covered by The Kingston Trio
, Pete Seeger
and four times by Johnny Cash
. In the music video for Cash's fourth recording, Delia is played by Kate Moss
. The second version, generally attributed to Blind Willie McTell
, is usually known as "Delia," and is told from a more ambiguous point of view. Among the many singers who have covered "Delia" are Bob Dylan
and David Bromberg
.
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
victim, has been identified as the likely inspiration for several well-known traditional American songs, usually known by the titles "Delia" and "Delia's Gone."
History
According to contemporaneous reports published in Georgia newspapers, Delia Green was shot and killed by 15-year-old Mose (or Moses) Houston late on Christmas Eve, 1900, in the Yamacraw neighborhood of SavannahSavannah, Georgia
Savannah is the largest city and the county seat of Chatham County, in the U.S. state of Georgia. Established in 1733, the city of Savannah was the colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and later the first state capital of Georgia. Today Savannah is an industrial center and an important...
, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, after an argument earlier in the evening. Houston, the newspapers implied, had been involved in a sexual relationship with Green for several months. The shooting took place at the home of Willie West, who chased down Houston after the shooting and turned him over to the city police.
Green's murder and Houston's trial in the spring of 1901 were reported in the Savannah Morning News
Savannah Morning News
The Savannah Morning News is a daily newspaper in Savannah, Georgia. It is published by Morris Communications, Inc. The motto of the paper is "Light of the Coastal Empire and Lowcountry"...
and the Savannah Evening Press. Although Houston reportedly had confessed to the murder at the time of his arrest, at trial he claimed the shooting was accidental. Other witnesses, however, testified that Houston had become angry after Green called him "a son of a bitch."
Houston was convicted and sentenced to life in prison, on the jury's recommendation of mercy. After serving more than twelve years, he was paroled by Governor John M. Slaton
John M. Slaton
John Marshall Slaton, or Jack Slaton, served two non-consecutive terms as the 60th Governor of Georgia.Slaton was born in Meriwether County, Georgia....
in 1913. Accounts of his later life are sketchy, but he is said to have died in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in 1927 after other brushes with the law.
Delia Green was buried in an unmarked grave in Laurel Grove Cemetery South in Savannah.
Songs
Songs based on Green's murder became both common and popular in the next few decades. In 1928, folklorist Robert Winslow GordonRobert Winslow Gordon
Robert Winslow Gordon was born September 2, 1888 in Bangor, Maine. Educated at Harvard, he joined the English faculty at the University of California at Berkley in 1918. He was the founding head of the Archive of American Folk Song at the Library of Congress in 1928, later the Archive of Folk...
reported to the Library of Congress
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress is the research library of the United States Congress, de facto national library of the United States, and the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. Located in three buildings in Washington, D.C., it is the largest library in the world by shelf space and...
that he had traced the songs back to a murder in Savannah, and that he had interviewed both Green's mother and the police officer who took Houston into custody. Gordon's research was never published, however, and Green's relationship to the popular songs was essentially unknown until John Garst, working from hints left by Gordon, turned up the details in Savannah newspaper archives.
The songs inspired by Green's short life and murder now split into two forms, both staples of the "folk revival" of the 1950s and early 1960s. One version, usually attributed to Blake Alphonso Higgs
Blake Alphonso Higgs
Blake Alphonso Higgs , better known as "Blind Blake", was the best-known performer of goombay/calypso in the Bahamas from the 1930s to the 1960s. -Biography:For much of his career, Blind Blake was based at the Royal Victoria Hotel in Nassau...
(the calypso singer also known as "Blind Blake"), is known as "Delia's Gone," and is explicitly told from her killer's point of view. "Delia's Gone" was prominently covered by The Kingston Trio
The Kingston Trio
The Kingston Trio is an American folk and pop music group that helped launch the folk revival of the late 1950s to late 1960s. The group started as a San Francisco Bay Area nightclub act with an original lineup of Dave Guard, Bob Shane, and Nick Reynolds...
, Pete Seeger
Pete Seeger
Peter "Pete" Seeger is an American folk singer and was an iconic figure in the mid-twentieth century American folk music revival. A fixture on nationwide radio in the 1940s, he also had a string of hit records during the early 1950s as a member of The Weavers, most notably their recording of Lead...
and four times by Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash
John R. "Johnny" Cash was an American singer-songwriter, actor, and author, who has been called one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century...
. In the music video for Cash's fourth recording, Delia is played by Kate Moss
Kate Moss
Kate Moss is an English model. Moss is known for her waifish figure and popularising the heroin chic look in the 1990s. She is also known for her controversial private life, high profile relationships, party lifestyle, and drug use. Moss changed the look of modelling and started a global debate on...
. The second version, generally attributed to Blind Willie McTell
Blind Willie McTell
Blind Willie McTell , was an influential Piedmont and ragtime blues singer and guitarist. He played with a fluid, syncopated fingerstyle guitar technique, common among many exponents of Piedmont blues, although, unlike his contemporaries, he used exclusively a twelve-string guitar...
, is usually known as "Delia," and is told from a more ambiguous point of view. Among the many singers who have covered "Delia" are Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
and David Bromberg
David Bromberg
David Bromberg is an American multi-instrumentalist, singer, and songwriter. Bromberg has an eclectic style, playing bluegrass, blues, folk, jazz, country and western, and rock and roll equally well. He is known for his quirky, humorous lyrics, and the ability to play rhythm and lead guitar at the...
.