Thanks, Will, for that information on Woody's gradual consciousness-raising. That 1910 lynching must have burned its way into Woody's brain. And to have his own father be part of the lynch mob.

Seems like it took quite a while for him to make the connection between that event and everyday racism.

It's fascinating--and depressing--to see how easily people accepted racism in the 20's and 30's.

Possibly apropos of this, I've just run across something interesting--in a biography of Gene Autry, no less--Public Cowboy No. 1, by Holly George-Warren.   I'd heartily recommend the book---all sorts of information and stories about not just Gene's career, but the Depression, and the music business (and the movie business) in the 20's 20's and 40's.

She says (p 59--unfootnoted, unfortunately--- that Gene (and many other "hillbilly artists") made records for the Gennett company, which was based near Indianapolis.


The label also made seminal recordings by King Oliver, Louis Armstrong, Jelly Roll Morton, and Blind Lemon Jefferson among other blues and early jazz figures..

And it made custom recordings for the KKK.   Indiana had more KKK members than any other state.

Sounds like Gennett took Coolidge's famous dictum "The business of America is business" to heart.

"As long as your money's green..."




I find history endlessly fascinating. Not even tempted to read fiction--always more corners of history to poke into.





I'm sold on your book. Any chance we'll be able to get it through CAMSCO?