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.
Lyrics rooted in white supremacist sentiment : Lawmakers consider changing Oregon s state song
Some may not even realize Oregon has a state song. Many who do have been trying to get it changed or replaced for years. Author: Katherine Cook Updated: 5:45 AM PST February 5, 2021
PORTLAND, Ore. An effort is underway to change Oregon s official state song. Many believe some of the lyrics in Oregon my Oregon, are racist and on the wrong side of Oregon s history. Written in 1920 by John Andrew Buchanan, Oregon my Oregon was the winning entry of a state song contest. Some of the controversial lyrics include this stanza: Land of the empire builders, land of the golden west; conquered and held by free men, fairest and the best. The line, Blest by the blood of martyrs is also controversial.