Azizi: I really don't follow where you are going with some of the dialect discussion. Is it your position that older black dialect songs should be "retired"? And if so, what about modern dialect songs eg rap etc? Should all black dialect be retired? Or only out of date stuff? And what about the many varieties of white dialects(both old and new) that many of Mudcat's white contributors sing in? Are we meant to stop? I occasionally sing in a Devonian or Cornish dialect(to both of which I have a total right).
You also have to consider that many examples of "exaggerated dialect" entertainment material is actually created from within the communities of the dialect being parodied. Just what do you want to "retire"?
We none of us wish to offend, if we can avoid it, but it is very hard to spot exactly what you find offensive. And sometimes offending is inevitable: you, I seem to rememmber, find some of Leadbelly's songs offensive, but then a lot of people don't. Some black people will continnue to sing them, even though you find them offensive. It gets more and more confusing.