Apparently, introducing and playing Uncle Dave Macon's version of this song on KFVD (Los Angeles) on 20 October 1937 marked the beginning of Woody Guthries' epiphany from a casual racist to a committed anti-racist. Will Kaufman, his most recent biographer, gives the story: 'He received from one Howell Terence a letter so politely incandescent - and he was so shaken by it - that he read it out over the airwaves the next day: "You were going along quite well in your program this evening until you announced your Nigger Blues. I am a Negro, a young Negro in college, and I certainly resented your remark. No person or persons of any intelligence uses that word over the radio today". Guthrie apologised profusely, dramatically ripped the offending song sheet to shreds before the microphone, and swore he'd never use that word again. He later made the point of repeatedly apologising to the African American community for all the racist 'frothings' that he had uttered'. [Will Kaufman 'Woodie Guthrie: American Radical' pp 149-150, Uni of Illinois Press 2011]

Joe Klein, a previous biographer, commented that he also 'ripped all the "nigger" songs out of his (song)book'. [Joe Klein 'Woody Guthrie A Life' p 97, Delta 1980]

I agree with Q above, that sanitising the historical song is bowdlerism, and there is no place for it - either reject it entirely or explain its historical context.

--Stewie.