Amazing Grace

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1772


"Amazing Grace" was written in 1772 by John Newton, an English slave trader turned Anglican clergyman, as a personal reflection on his conversion and salvation. First published in 1779 in Olney Hymns, it gained immense popularity in the United States during the early 19th-century Second Great Awakening. The iconic "New Britain" melody was added later in 1835. 
Key Historical Details:
  • Author & Inspiration: John Newton (1725–1807) wrote the lyrics after a profound religious experience following a life of profanity and slave trading, including surviving a violent sea storm in 1748.
  • Purpose: Written for a New Year's Day service in 1773, it accompanied a sermon on 1 Chronicles 17:16–17, reflecting on God's grace.
  • Publication: First appeared in the Olney Hymns in Three Books (1779) in London.
  • Melody: The lyrics were originally sung to various tunes. In 1835, American composer William Walker set the words to the "New Britain" melody in his shape-note tunebook, The Southern Harmony.
  • Legacy: It became a staple of American folk music, civil rights, and cultural events, including its use during the Trail of Tears, on YouTube as a marker of 9/11, and in various social movements. 
While Newton, a former slave ship master, later became a prominent abolitionist, the hymn's focus remains on spiritual salvation rather than his anti-slavery work. 

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