American Routes Shortcuts: The Winnsboro Easter Rock Ensemble

Published April 18, 2025 at 4:00 AM CDT

The Winnsboro Easter Rock Ensemble carries on a women-led African American spiritual ritual, originally performed by enslaved Africans in the Northeast Louisiana Delta region of Franklin Parish before the Civil War. It combines Christian worship and the West African ring shout tradition. The Easter Rock is held the day before Easter, with call and response vocals and foot-stomping, honoring Jesus as they circulate with a train of swaying ribbon streamers on a large heavy banner representing the burden of the cross to commemorate the death and resurrection of Christ. The Winnsboro Easter Rock Ensemble are the last known practitioners of the ritual, moving counter-clockwise around a white table representing Christ’s tomb. Leader, the elder Hattie Addison spoke with me and led the group in song and steps.

Hattie Addison: Going to church, my mother made us go, and we had to sit and watch them do the Rock. So after all of them mostly died out, the singers and all that, I decided to carry it on.

Nick Spitzer: How many people you got here today?

HA: I have 15.

NS: And they're the elders and the youth and everybody?

HA: Yeah, I'm the oldest now

NS: And we've got a table set up here, and you're going to be–tell us what we'll be doing

HA: We'll have twelve lamps, which represent the twelve tribes of Israel. We have twelve cakes which represent the twelve disciples. We have the punch. It represents the blood. The banner represents the cross.

NS: Well, can we get the group together and do some Easter Rocking?

HA: Yes, Sir, we ready.

“When the Saints Go Marching In” The Winnsboro Easter Rock Ensemble
American Routes Original Recording

“Oh David” The Winnsboro Easter Rock Ensemble
American Routes Original Recording