Learned this in the late 1950's in chorus. We sang it at a concert, we also did "Alice Where Art Thou Going", "Gerald McBoing Boing", "It Was Sad When the Great Ship Went Down" and other old folk songs. Racist? Are you kidding? These are amazing folk songs passed down through generations. Does political correctness have to taint every thread of what the melting pot of this county has brought us? Believe me, when we performed this there was not a thought of racism. It is a cute, catchy verse that I carried over to sing to my children and grandchildren. Racism! Give me a break. We can't open our mouths without someone shouting "Racist". Is it any wonder that we can't move on and embrace our heritage. Good, bad or indifferent it's this mix of ethnicity that makes our county great. Every era has brought something different to the table. Why don't we just go out and burn all books, stop the music, and shut our mouths! If you look hard enough you will find hate in anything. How sad to live your life like that instead of embracing everyone and everything, and not accepting the past as just that; the past. Oh, and in the meantime, let's burn all copies of "Tom Sawyer", "Grapes of Wrath", and for good measure; the "Bible". As a nation we've made major mistakes (and still are), but it's our ability to pull together that makes it work. You don't have a clue!!!