Mahalia Jackson was born in New Orleans. She was the third of six children. She was five years old when her mother died. She and her brother had to go and live with her aunt. Jackson's aunt was very abusive and Jackson never forgot the beatings she and her brother had to endure.

In 1935 Jackson was 23 years old and living in Chicago. At a church social she met the man she would marry, Isaac Hockenhull. They were married in 1938. Jackson opened a beauty shop and a flower shop, and her husband worked at the post office. Ike encouraged Jackson to take some voice training. He believed his wife had the most beautiful voice he had ever heard.

Jackson gained quite a following around Chicago. It wasn't long before she was traveling around to different cities. Jackson took the same pure gospel she had learned as a child to each place she sang. She brought the Gospel to mainstream America.