Oregon Removes Lyrics About Empire Builders from State Song amren.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from amren.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Oregon lawmakers have voted to approve changing some of the lyrics to its state song to remove what many activists have long argued celebrated racist elements of the state’s history.
Oregon Lawmakers Approve Changes to 94-Year-Old State Song
The lyrics to “Oregon, My Oregon,” which activists called racist, will be modified to reflect “significant cultural, historical, economic and societal evolution in Oregon,” a resolution said.
The Oregon Legislature approved changes to the lyrics of the state song, replacing several lines, including language about “empire builders.”Credit.Andrew Selsky/Associated Press
June 9, 2021Updated 4:20 p.m. ET
Oregon lawmakers approved new lyrics for their state song this week, removing language that activists called racist and saying the song should reflect how Oregon has changed in the 94 years since it was adopted.
The resolution, which the State Senate passed 23-5 on Monday, would preserve the music of the state song, “Oregon, My Oregon,” but change the lyrics to reflect the “significant cultural, historical, economic and societal evolution in Oregon,” according to its text.
Oregon’s state song needs to change
share
Did you know Oregon has a state song? I had no idea until I read an article from OPB about the song and its origins. The song, “Oregon, My Oregon,” was written by songwriters Henry B. Murtagh and John A. Buchanan for a contest sponsored by the Society of Oregon Composers in 1920, and the state legislature adopted it as the official state song in 1927, which it has remained ever since. Its lyrics praise the settlers of Oregon, the beauty of the Pacific Ocean and the fair weather of the state. It’s also incredibly racist.
What are the state symbols of Oregon? Here s a full list: statesmanjournal.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from statesmanjournal.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.