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“Forgotten Hollywood”- Kate Smith Speaks Out…

Posted on April 27, 2019 by raideoman1 | No Comments

Manny P. here…

“`Two intolerant compositions recorded by Kate Smith in the early 1930s led to a statue of the songstress removed from Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, and the ouster of her recorded performance of God Bless America at Philly Flyers and New York Yankees games. However, is there a possibility that Kate was actually a voice against racial and religious discrimination?

“`In a forgotten broadcast on January, 1945, the First Lady of Radio offered a wholehearted speech attacking bigotry and racism. As millions listened, Smith called for every church and family to commit to tolerance and understanding. She gave the speech on the CBS program We the People.

Race hatreds — social prejudices — religious bigotry — they are the diseases that eat away the fibers of peace. Unless they are exterminated it’s inevitable that we will have another war. And where are they going to be exterminated? At a conference table in Geneva? Not by a long shot. In your own city — your church — your children’s school — perhaps in your own home.
`
You and I must do it – every father and mother in the world, every teacher, everyone who can rightfully call himself a human being. Yes, it seems to me that the one thing the peoples of the world have got to learn if we are ever to have a lasting peace, is — tolerance. Of what use will it be if the lights go on again all over the world — if they don’t go on … in our hearts.

“`The sponsors of We the People received over 20,000 requests for copies of the speech. National newspapers reprinted passages of the statement. President Harry S. Truman likely was influenced by this manner of impassioned plea as he integrated our military in 1948.                                                         KATE SMITH –>

“`The music imposed upon Kate Smith by her managers in the early 1930s was derived from 1920s attitudes. Plus, the 1920s was a race-hostile environment, with a resurgence of the KKK, and fewer opportunities for many African Americans due to the establishment of Jim Crow laws. By the mid-1940s, Kate Smith had evolved and she made her feelings understood. This is not an apology… It is a reminder of an unfortunate time in history.

Until next time>                              “never forget”

This entry was posted on Saturday, April 27th, 2019 at 1:02 am and is filed under Blog by Manny Pacheco. You can follow any comments to this post through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.


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