Oregon's state song awaits an official makeover
April 18 2021
House resolution, which moves to the Senate, changes a few words that some argue reflect a racist past.
Oregon's official state song, nearly a century old, is about to get a makeover to remove words that advocates of change say reflect a racist past.
The Oregon House has adopted and sent to the Senate a resolution that changes some of the words to "Oregon, My Oregon," which the Legislature approved as the state song in 1927.
House Concurrent Resolution 11, which passed 47-6 on Friday, April 16, replaces the first verse by J.A. Buchanan: "Land of the Empire Builders, Land of the Golden West/Conquered and held by free men, Fairest and the Best."