BRAVO, MR GREENHOUSE.
Steven Foster was no racist, and at the time the song was written, "Darky" was no more an insult than "Black Man" is today.
Let me refer you to the song, "INGDOM COMING, The year of the Jubilo", written by Henry Clay Work who's father spent some time in prison for helping thousnads, YES THOUSANDS of slaves to freedom on the underground railway. Mr Clay was a "fire-breathing dragon" of an abolitionist. As far as I can remember them, the words to Kingdom Coming, which he deliberately wrote in "Darky dialect". By the way, Dick, he was from Hartford, born in Middletown, Connecticut. (note: the "Muff-stash" was an attempt by "ol Massa, to disguise himself)

KINGDOM COMING
(Henry Clay Work)
   I
Hey, Darkies, hab you seen ol' massa
Wit de muff-stash on his face
Goin down the road some time dis mornin
like he gwine to leave dis place
Must hab seen de smoke from down de ribber
Whar the Lincoln Gunboats lay
He took his hat an' lef' verry sudden
An I 'spect he's run away

(chorus) DE MASSA' RUN, HA HA
DE DARKEYS STAY, HO HO
It mus' be the time ob de Kingdom comin'
an' de year ob de Jubilo!
    II
He's six feet one way, two feet t'odder
An' he weigh three hunbdred pounds
His coat so big he couldn't pay de tailor,
An it only goes half way roun'
He drill so much dey call him Cap'n
An' he got so dreadfull tanned
I 'spec' he's try an' fool dem Yamkees
For to t'ink he's contraband!

(repeat chorus)

       III
De Darkies feel so lonesome libbin'
In de log house on de lawn
Dey move dar t'ings intuh massa's parlor
For to keep it while he's gone
Dere's wine an' cider in de kitchen
an de Darkeys dey'll hab some
I suppose it'll all be confiscated
When de Lincfoln soldiers come

(repeat chorus)
       IV
De Oberseer he make us trouble
An' he drive us round a spell
We lock him up in de smoke-house cellar
Wid' de key trown down de well
De whip is lost, de han-cuffs broken
De massa, he'll hab his pay
He's old enough, wise enough, ought to know better
Dan to went an run away

(chorus)


So, how does this grab you?

Does this, in the slightest, suggest that Henry Clay Work was a racist?
Don't insult Steven Foster by suggesting that he was "Politically incorrect"
Do you know who I think ought to read the entire "My old Kentucky Home", the idiots who run the Kentucky Derby

I think Clay also wrote, "We're Coming From the Cotton Fields"

Do yourselves a favor and type in, "Henry Clay Work" in the "keywords" place and click on "GO"
Then revise your opinion about Steven Foster's song lyrics.

He also wrote, "Marching through Georgia" and "Ring the Bell, Watchman" the origin of the sea song, Strike the Bell" Ring the Bell Watchman heralded the end of the Civil war and the triumph of good over evil.

(repeat chorus)