--- title: HR 524. "Kumbaya"; the Gullah Geechee Anthem; commend collection: bills id: 2025-2026/hr524 cite_as: HR 524, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.) canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr524 md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr524.md text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr524/text source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/71207 date: 2025-03-06 status: passed corpus_version: bills-2026-09-12 license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice. up: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026.md previous: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr523.md next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr525.md index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md omitted: votes and history omitted_chars: 131 omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr524.md?full=1 bill_number: HR 524 session: 2025-2026 Regular Session session_slug: 2025-2026 chamber: House bill_type: resolution status_date: 2025-03-06 last_action: House Read and Adopted sponsors: - Al Williams - Buddy DeLoach - Edna Jackson - Carl Gilliard - Segun Adeyina text_version: Introduced has_text: true legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HR524/2025 upstream_id: 1994265 summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5 topic_tags: - Gullah-Geechee culture - Georgia history - folk music - cultural heritage --- # HR 524. "Kumbaya"; the Gullah Geechee Anthem; commend ## Text House Resolution 524 By: Representatives Williams of the 168th, DeLoach of the 167th, Jackson of the 165th, Gilliard of the 162nd, and Adeyina of the 110th A RESOLUTION Recognizing "Kumbaya" as the Gullah Geechee Anthem; and for other purposes. WHEREAS, the song "Kumbaya," also known by its original title "Come by Here", is a cherished spiritual folk song with deep roots in the Gullah-Geechee culture of the Sea Islands; and WHEREAS, "Kumbaya" is recognized as Georgia's first state historical song and holds global significance, having become a symbol of American folk music; and WHEREAS, the song was first recorded in Georgia, with the first known recording documented by the Library of Congress, establishing its national and cultural significance; and WHEREAS, in 1926, numerous folk songs in the Gullah dialect, also known as Sea Islands Creole, were preserved and shared with the world, helping to elevate the cultural voice of the Gullah-Geechee people; and WHEREAS, Mr. H. Wylie, an African American of Gullah-Geechee heritage, granted permission for the song "Come by Here" to be recorded, marking a pivotal moment in the preservation of the spiritual and cultural contributions of the Gullah-Geechee community; and WHEREAS, the song "Kumbaya" has transcended its origins as a spiritual song, becoming a widely recognized anthem of unity, hope, and cultural pride; and WHEREAS, the Gullah-Geechee people have made significant contributions to the cultural fabric of Georgia and the United States, with their language, music, and traditions playing an integral role in the history and heritage of this nation. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that the members of this body recognize "Kumbaya" as the official anthem of the Gullah-Geechee culture, honoring its historical importance and acknowledging the ongoing contributions of the Gullah-Geechee people to our state and nation. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized and directed to make an appropriate copy of this resolution available for distribution to the public and the press. ## Summaries written by Georgia Commons The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the resolution. Quote the text, not the summary. A Georgia House resolution recognizes the folk song "Kumbaya" as the official anthem of the Gullah-Geechee culture, honoring its origins in Georgia's Sea Islands. ### Plain-language summary This House resolution does not change any law. It formally recognizes the song "Kumbaya," originally titled "Come by Here," as the official anthem of the Gullah-Geechee culture, a community with roots in the Sea Islands off Georgia's coast. The resolution recounts the song's history: its roots in Gullah-Geechee spiritual tradition, its first recording in Georgia documented by the Library of Congress, and the 1926 permission granted by Mr. H. Wylie, a Gullah-Geechee man, for the song to be recorded. It states the Gullah-Geechee people have made lasting contributions to Georgia's and the nation's cultural history. The resolution directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to make copies available to the public and press. ### What it does - Formally recognizes "Kumbaya" as the official anthem of the Gullah-Geechee culture within the Georgia House of Representatives. - States that the song holds historical and cultural significance tied to Georgia's Sea Islands and the Gullah-Geechee community. - Directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to prepare and distribute copies of the resolution to the public and press. - Does not create any new law, funding, or enforceable requirement; it is a symbolic statement by the House. ### Who it affects The resolution primarily concerns the Gullah-Geechee community, a cultural group with historic ties to Georgia's Sea Islands. It also involves the Clerk of the House of Representatives, who is tasked with distributing copies of the resolution. ### Why it matters While the resolution carries no legal force, it gives official recognition from the Georgia House of Representatives to the Gullah-Geechee community's cultural and musical heritage, which some may see as a meaningful public acknowledgment of that history. ### Key provisions - The resolution's whereas clauses describe the song's origin, its 1926 recording, and Mr. H. Wylie's role in permitting the recording. - The resolving clause formally recognizes "Kumbaya" as the official anthem of the Gullah-Geechee culture. - A further resolving clause directs the Clerk of the House of Representatives to distribute copies to the public and press. ## Status - Status: Passed (2025-03-06) - Last action: House Read and Adopted (2025-03-06) - Sponsors: Al Williams, Buddy DeLoach, Edna Jackson, Carl Gilliard, Segun Adeyina - Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/71207 > The history, votes, and amendments (131 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr524.md?full=1