▁ 1 2 , ▁ 1 9 4 7 , ▁by ▁g ospel ▁singer ▁Mah alia ▁Jackson , ▁a ▁version ▁that ▁sold ▁eight ▁million ▁copies . ▁The ▁song ▁was ▁hon ored ▁with ▁the ▁Gram my ▁Hall ▁of ▁Fame ▁Award ▁in ▁( 1 9 9 8 ). ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁the ▁Library ▁of ▁Congress ▁hon ored ▁the ▁song ▁by ▁adding ▁it ▁to ▁the ▁National ▁Rec ording ▁Reg istry . ▁It ▁was ▁also ▁included ▁in ▁the ▁list ▁of ▁Songs ▁of ▁the ▁Century , ▁by ▁the ▁Rec ording ▁Indust ry ▁of ▁America ▁and ▁the ▁National ▁End ow ment ▁for ▁the ▁Arts , ▁and ▁is ▁in ▁the ▁Rock ▁and ▁Roll ▁Hall ▁of ▁Fame ▁as ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁ 5 0 0 ▁songs ▁that ▁sh aped ▁rock . ▁ ▁Background ▁Compos er ▁Rev . ▁William ▁Herbert ▁B rew ster ▁( 1 8 9 7 - 1 9 8 7 ) ▁composed ▁" M oved ▁On ▁Up ▁a ▁Little ▁High er ," ▁through ▁the ▁imag ery ▁of ▁a ▁" Christ ian ▁clim bing ▁the ▁lad der ▁to ▁heaven ," ▁the ▁song ▁encourag es ▁black ▁up ward ▁mob ility , ▁hence ▁reflect ing ▁the ▁post war ▁Af ro - mod ern ist ▁sent iments :" ▁ ▁" The ▁fight ▁for ▁rights ▁here ▁in ▁M emph is ▁was ▁pretty ▁rough ▁on ▁the ▁Black ▁church ▁. ▁. ▁. ▁and ▁I ▁wrote ▁that ▁song ▁" Move ▁Up ▁a ▁Little ▁High er " ... ▁We ' ll ▁have ▁to ▁move ▁in ▁the ▁field ▁of ▁education . ▁Move ▁into ▁the ▁prof