If you’ve never heard of Kate Smith before today, you’ve likely heard her voice.
The legacy of the late singer, who gained mass popularity in the ’40s and died in 1986, has carried on at sports stadiums for decades.
Her popular rendition of Irving Berlin’s “God Bless America” had been played during the seventh-inning stretch at Yankees Stadium since the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and it’s also been a longtime fixture at Philadelphia Flyers games. The Flyers even memorialized Smith with a statue outside their arena, which was erected in 1987, one year after her passing.
But that tradition was quickly reversed this week, when allegations of racism surrounding her controversial early recordings came to light. Among the offensive tracks she recorded that are getting a second look are “Pickanninny Heaven” and “That’s Why Darkies Are Born,” a 1931 song that references picking cotton.
“Most famously, Smith sang a 1931 song, “That’s Why Darkies Were Born,” which opened: “Someone had to pick the cotton, Someone had to pick the corn, Someone had to slave and be able to sing, That’s why darkies were born.” https://t.co/JGCYCGG5Wb
— Kevin McCashion 🇺🇸 (@Kevin_McCashion) April 19, 2019
The Kate Smith songs are terrible. The premise of one is discussing "accepting your destiny to pick cotton and plant corn". There is and has never been a place for this in society. You will survive without the statue and the duet. I promise.
— Natalie Egenolf (@NatalieEgenolf) April 19, 2019
The Yankees told the Associated Press in a statement on Friday: “The Yankees have been made aware of a recording that had been previously unknown to us and decided to immediately and carefully review this new information. The Yankees take social, racial and cultural insensitivities very seriously. And while no final conclusions have been made, we are erring on the side of sensitivity.”
The Flyers made a similar move this week and also promptly cloaked Smith’s statue outside of the Wells Fargo Center in black, keeping it in place with ropes.
The Kate Smith statue near the Wells Fargo Center is covered, amid reports the @NHLFlyers have cut ties with Smith over racist song lyrics. pic.twitter.com/I6eCsT5oRl
— Mike DeNardo (@_MikeDeNardo) April 19, 2019
“We have recently become aware that several songs performed by Kate Smith contain offensive lyrics that do not reflect our values as an organization,” a Flyers spokesman told Philly.com in a statement. “As we continue to look into this serious matter, we are removing Kate Smith’s recording of ‘God Bless America’ from our library and covering up the statue that stands outside of our arena.”