Identifying Sacred Harp Editions
The easiest way to distinguish among nineteenth- and twentieth-century editions of The Sacred Harp is to examine the books’ front covers or title pages for the mention of appendices or edition numbers, the names of the lead revisers, and any dates. If the cover and title page of your Sacred Harp is missing or illegible, try the “Page 37 Test,” an easy way to distinguish among seven different editions of The Sacred Harp.
| Edition | Appendices/Edition Names or Numbers | Names | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Edition | none | B. F. White, E. J. King | 1844, 1847, 1848 |
| Second Edition | “To Which Is Added an Appendix” | B. F. White, E. J. King | 1850, 1857 |
| Third Edition | “To Which Is Added Appendix I … Also, Appendix II.” | B. F. White, E. J. King | 1859/60 |
| Fourth Edition | “Fourth Edition, Much Improved and Greatly Enlarged” | B. F. White, E. J. King, J. L. White, C. P. Byrd | 1870, 1872?, [n.d.]?, 1897 |
| “Cooper Book” Editions | various numbered editions | B. F. White, E. J. King, W. M. Cooper, R. D. Blackshear, B. P. Poyner, Saxon P. Poyner, B. F. Faust | 1902, 1907, 1909, 1927, 1949, 1950, 1960, 1992, 2000, 2006, 2012 |
| “White Book” Editions | “Fifth Edition, Much Improved and Greatly Enlarged” or “Fourth Edition, with Supplement” | B. F. White, E. J. King, J. L. White | 1909, 1910, 1911, 2007 |
| “James Book” Editions | “Revised, Corrected and Enlarged” and “Standard Melodies” | J. S. James | 1911, 1921, 1929, 1949, 1964? |
| “Denson Book” and 2025 Edition | “(Denson Revision),” “(1960 Supplement),” “1991 Edition,” or “1991 Revision,” “2025 Edition” | T. J. Denson, S. M. Denson, Paine Denson, Otis L. McCoy, L. P. Odom, B. F. White, J. S. James, A. M. Cagle, Hugh W. McGraw, David Ivey | 1936, 1960, 1966, 1971, 1987, 1991, 2025 |
Please contact me with any corrections or suggestions on how to improve this table.