Zilphia Horton
Zilphia Horton (April 14, 1910 – April 11, 1956) was an American musician, community organizer, educator, Civil Rights activist, and folklorist. She is best known for her work with her husband Myles Horton at the Highlander Folk School where she is generally credited with turning such songs as "We Shall Overcome", "Keep Your Eyes on the Prize," "We Shall Not Be Moved," and "This Little Light of Mine" from hymns into songs of the Civil Rights movement.
Biography
Zilphia was born Zilphia Mae Johnson in the mining town of Spadra, Arkansas, where her father owned and operated a coal mine. She was of Spanish and Indian heritage. She was trained as a classical musician.
She was a graduate of the College of the Ozarks (which was the University of the Ozarks at the time). She was determined to use her talents for the better good of the southern working class. She was disowned by her family after she tried to organize her father's coal mine. In 1935, she attended a labor education workshop at the Highlander Folk School in Monteagle, Tennessee. Two months later, she married the school's founder, Myles Horton.
Podcasts:
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by John Gorka
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by Push Stars
Silvertown
by: John GorkaI don't want to leave the lights of the town
So I drive to the edge and I turn it around
The sheriff's car eyes me like I'm some sort of fiend
But the only thing I'm guilty of is burning gasoline
I drive to the south gate and I drive to the east
The new owners only kept the young employees
My wife doesn't mind that I drive late at night
'cause I don't come home drunk and I never want to fight
I went down to Metro and pawned both my guns
So I wouldn't be tempted by either of them
I've got the tire tread to measure the loss
But I wonder how I'd feel if just once I punched my boss
Just punched his face in once
But that little punk would have put me in stir
And we'd never get back to the fine thing we were
In Silvertown, right here in Silvertown
I pass by the lights of casinos and bars
I can always find work if I want to deal cards
If I worked for myself then I'd write my own check
There'd be nobody there to breathe down my back
Like in Silvertown
The old owners lied as to what was in store
Silvertown runs on a promise like this and no more
The tourists gamble while the real people work to save