Change Florida's State Song
Florida, a diverse state with many people of all colors. Yet our official state song contains racial bigotry. This can not stand any longer. "Old Folks at Home", written by Stephen Foster a man from Pennsylvania who never visited Florida in his lifetime, was written in 1851 during slave days in the South. Not only does this song about the Suwannee river which also runs through Georgia feature the words "darkies" but it also has the phrase "I'm still a-longin' for the old plantation". Remember, this was written by a white man from the perspective of a black man. I really doubt that a black man would have a-longin' for the old plantation where he was forced to work as a slave, beaten, whipped, and treated terribly. This song must be removed and another must replace it. I have an idea on which one. Before Suwannee River, the state song was "Florida, My Florida" and is a great song that is actually relevant to Florida.
Florida, a diverse state with many people of all colors. Yet our official state song contains racial bigotry. This can not stand any longer. "Old Folks at Home", written by Stephen Foster a man from Pennsylvania who never visited Florida in his lifetime, was written in 1851 during slave days in the South. Not only does this song about the Suwannee river which also runs through Georgia feature the words "darkies" but it also has the phrase "I'm still a-longin' for the old plantation". Remember, this was written by a white man from the perspective of a black man. I really doubt that a black man would have a-longin' for the old plantation where he was forced to work as a slave, beaten, whipped, and treated terribly. This song must be removed and another must replace it.
I don't know which song would be best, but I would like one which represents Florida not a song that is offensive to African Americans.
signersigner