The First Amendment and Music: A tribute to Woody Guthrie

As you may or may not know, Woody Guthrie was born in Oklahoma. Recently, the Woody Guthrie Center opened in downtown Tulsa, a guarantee that future generations of Oklahomans will be able to learn about the man who was a champion of free speech and wasn't afraid to tell it like it is, even when it wasn't that great.

Woody Guthrie performs.

According to the Center's Web site,

Woody’s songs celebrate the beauty and bounty of America and seek the truth about our country and its people. He turned complex ideas about democracy, human rights, and economic equality into simple songs that all Americans could embrace. Woody spoke for those who carried a heavy burden or had come upon hard times. His words gave a voice to their struggle, and his songs gave them hope and strength.

This morning, Ken Paulson, director of the First Amendment Center, spoke not only about the First Amendment's application to speech, but also to music. "You can have a backbeat to free speech," was a particular favorite quip of mine.

Although I do teach the first amendment in my Intro to Journalism class, I had never thought to teach it with music. With such a profound opportunity in our downtown, Woody Guthrie's music, Vietnam protest music, and more recent rap may turn into a lesson on free speech for my students next year.

I hope to use the materials on Freedom Sings as a starting point.

Bonus:
Here's Woody Guthrie's birthplace in Okemah, Okla. Looks charming.

Double bonus: Here's a video of Woody Guthrie's most famous song, "This Land was Made for You and Me."

Bailey Elise McBride

Bishop Kelley High School

Tulsa, Okla.