On July 4th, 1826, America celebrated its jubilee Independence Day and mourned the loss of two founding fathers. It also welcomed the birth of a boy in Pittsburgh who would one day be known as the “Father of American Music.”

Stephen Foster was the composer of many popular early American songs including “Camptown Races,” “My Old Kentucky Home,” “Swanee River,” and “Beautiful Dreamer”. “Oh! Susanna” was not only Foster’s first hit, many people think that it’s the first hit song ever and that it helped to create the popular music industry as we know it today.

But like so many aspects of early American popular culture, the catchy melody and lighthearted lyrics of “Oh! Susanna” obscure a dark and violent reality. While many people know the earworm refrain of “I come from Alabama with a banjo on my knee,” most do not know that an original verse includes a racial slur and blithely references the tragic death of 500 African Americans.

As we approach the 250th anniversary of American Independence and the 200th anniversary of Foster’s birth, it is high time for a critical reappraisal of his legacy.

Join hosts Jason Lee Guthrie and Jennie Lightweis-Goff as we interview the experts and decipher the coded history of American music on Stephen Foster at 200.

To learn more about the show and the book, visit our website at: www.StephenFosterAt200.com.