In 1855, American minister and music critic John Sullivan Dwight translated the song into English. An ardent abolitionist, Dwight was drawn to the verse, "Chains shall He break, for the slave is our brother," making it a popular song in the American North during the Civil War.
According to popular history, "O Holy Night" holds the distinction of being the first song ever played over the radio, broadcast in 1906 by Reginald Fessenden. Why It Endures The Story Behind the Song O Holy Night - Ann H. Gabhart o_holy_night
The song, originally titled " Minuit, chrétiens " (Midnight, Christians), was commissioned in 1847 by a French parish priest in Roquemaure. The lyrics were written by Placide Cappeau, a wine merchant and poet who was not particularly religious. The music was composed by his friend, Adolphe Adam, a Jewish composer who did not believe in the carol's message. In 1855, American minister and music critic John
