Barbara Shaw - I am the late Al Katz's sister, and I am responding to your 2002 post about the MTA song that I just saw for the first time.
Al and Sam Berman did compose the lyrics.
That was clear when they were composing. My other brother and I were there when it was happening. And we were there when the band was playing, as was our mother, a staunch progressive all her life.
Al was an idealist who, as his wonderful son notes, would not be concerned that others are laying claim to the song, as long as it accomplished the goal of supporting a progressive candidate.
But I am surprised and disappointed by the intellectual and political dishonesty of those who know better, yet claim ownership of the creative work of others. I can only hope that if any royalties were paid to those who copyrighted the MTA song after the Kingston Trio exploited it, 100% of those royalties went to good cause and not into anyone's pockets.

Shame on those who claim the title of "progressive" but exploit their colleagues.And shame on academics who try to burnish their CV's by writing flawed "definitive" histories that are then cited by trusting obit writers and music historians.