It has been nearly 10 years since I’ve stood on the petrochemical-laden soggy banks of Lake Providence in the northeast tip of Louisiana along the Mississippi River. In 2000, according the U.S. Census, East Carroll Parish, population 9,421, where the lake and the namesake town that surrounds it lies, was given the sad distinction as being the poorest county in the nation. Myself, along with a good friend and colleague, came up from Baton Rouge to document that fact for The Advocate newspaper.
As we were leaving town at the end of the assignment, we saw a bunch of people dressed head to toe in white robes walking out of the lake. A large crowd was gathered nearby. No, this was no Klan rally. It was anything but. Unfortunately for the story, we had just missed the area’s joint Black Baptist church annual baptism. I vowed to come back, and did, in 2004, 2007 and 2015.
For this post, I re-edited the 2015 ceremony. That year, I finally recorded the sound of it in its 43 minute entirety. A video sideshow is presented below. I’d love for you to have a look. And listen with headphones or nice speakers. Pick out the back and forth call and response between the vocally energetic preachers in the hip-deep water and the swaying crowd along the bank.
Twenty one area Baptist churches and 12 pastors participated in the baptism. This annual Sunday morning event is the pinnacle of a two-week joint revival of area Black Baptist churches that has taken place in this sometimes shallow and sometimes not spot in the lake for over 30 years.
Jump in, and become immersed in sights and sounds from the 2015 Lake Providence baptism. I hope you enjoy this unique experience along the banks of an oxbow lake formed by the Mississippi River as much as I have.
Look at More Images from Past Baptisms Here
Behind the Scenes
Recording note: I used two Line Audio CM3s housed in a DIY ORTF mount and tracked to a Sony PCM-M10 with a Sound Devices Mix-Pre D on the front end.
