What a fabulous life! What a great American! Pete Seeger performed, wrote, conserved, and resurrected American folk music from the Great Depression to the Occupy movement, and sang to protest what he felt was wrong. He inspired a host of people to take up the cause of folk music, and to protest inequality and social evils in all their many forms.

Steve Bates is correct in pointing out the really decent article about Pete Seeger at Wikipedia. Mustang Bobby has the meat of the NYT article on his passing.

Digby located the transcript of Mr. Seeger’s appearance before the House Unamerican Activities Committee that contains this response from him:

I am not going to answer any questions as to my association, my philosophical or religious beliefs or my political beliefs, or how I voted in any election, or any of these private affairs. I think these are very improper questions for any American to be asked, especially under such compulsion as this. I would be very glad to tell you my life if you want to hear of it.

That response is an encapsulation of most of the rights guaranteed by the First Amendment, and clearly demonstrates who was acting ‘unAmerican’, and it wasn’t Mr. Seeger.

At his place Charlie Pierce has a nice piece about him and his contributions to the country.

The music is his immortality.

Update: Via Badtux in comments: Peter Yarrow on Pete Seeger’s final night

January 28, 1986

Commander:
Francis R. (Dick) Scobee, Lieutenant Colonel, USAF

Pilot:
Michael J. Smith, Commander, USN

Mission Specialist:
Judith A. Resnik
Ronald E. McNair
Ellison S. Onizuka, Lieutenant Colonel, USAF

Payload Specialist:
Gregory B. Jarvis
Sharon Christa McAuliffe