So many interesting points.   I believe that songs and/or music has to be taken in the historical time and the perspective in which it was either written or passed down.

Today the song of which we speak may seem "racist" but, rather, we should look at it in a historical perspective.

As to Old Man River---Robeson made some changes to the words that he felt appropriate. He did the same with Amazing Grace (my favorite hymn)---he changed "wretch" to "soul" with the comment that in God's eyes none of us are wretches. Nor should we think of ourselves that way.

Bill Hahn