Stop singing these racist minstrel songs to your children.

[Anonymous]

This is a list of some songs that shouldn’t be included in preschool and elementary education music class anymore. As a young children’s music educator, I appreciated this article and have not included these for a long time. Shoo fly would also be one to stay away from.

https://gen.medium.com/amp/p/154b8d8db12a

[Anonymous]

I also think the state of Kentucky should really take a look at removing “My Old Kentucky Home” as the state song or at least refrain from the group sing along at the derby.

[Anonymous]

TIL Mickey Mouse is in blackface.

[Anonymous]

I mean...if we're getting rid of racist songs, we should really take a look at the national athem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:TIL Mickey Mouse is in blackface.

A lot of classic cartoons have racist origins, sadly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I mean...if we're getting rid of racist songs, we should really take a look at the national athem.

And Maryland O’ Maryland

[Anonymous]

It's really sad and scary how deep all of this goes into our country's culture. I'm ashamed I didn't notice it before...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I mean...if we're getting rid of racist songs, we should really take a look at the national athem.

And Maryland O’ Maryland

Gross. This is really our state song?? It was written in support of the confederacy, and refers to Lincoln as a tyrant.

[Anonymous]

So the original lyrics for Oh Susannah are quite different from the modern lyrics. That means we should never sing the modern version?

I don't understand.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So the original lyrics for Oh Susannah are quite different from the modern lyrics. That means we should never sing the modern version?

I don't understand.

Changing the lyrics doesn't change its origins in minstrelsy. It was an ugly form of entertainment, and all vestiges of it need to go. You can put lipstick on a pig, but it remains a pig.

[Anonymous]

File under, “stupid things white suburban women are concerned about today”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:TIL Mickey Mouse is in blackface.

Ok no ... Disney did used to be pretty racist, but Mickey Mouse is a mouse.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So the original lyrics for Oh Susannah are quite different from the modern lyrics. That means we should never sing the modern version?

I don't understand.

Changing the lyrics doesn't change its origins in minstrelsy. It was an ugly form of entertainment, and all vestiges of it need to go. You can put lipstick on a pig, but it remains a pig.

I disagree. The lyrics were changed because the words were problematic. That was recognized already. The songs persist because they're good music. We should celebrate that, not throw it out.

[Anonymous]

Yes, let's stick to music that cannot offend.

Baby shark do do do do de do
Baby shark...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's really sad and scary how deep all of this goes into our country's culture. I'm ashamed I didn't notice it before...

Agree with the bolded. On the other hand, the fact that we didn't even recognize some of these stereotypes is partly positive in that it indicates change. I read the part about Working on the Railroad, which my family sang on car trips when I was a kid. I didn't know any of the implications or underlying experiences depicted in the lyrics. I didn't know Dinah was the cook and that the horn she was blowing was to announce mealtime. I assumed she was the love interest of the guy working on the railroad and he was so looking forward to seeing her and that the horn was the train horn because she worked on the railroad, too.