Profile of the Day: Woody Guthrie
Today we remember folk singer Woody Guthrie on what would have been his 111th birthday.
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Image: Woody Guthrie / Library of Congress
He was born Woodrow Wilson Guthrie on July 14, 1912 in Okemah, Oklahoma. His parents named him after Woodrow Wilson, who had become the Democratic candidate for president just weeks before his birth.
The Great Depression hit his family hard. In 1935, he join the thousands of “Okies” migrating West in search for work. Much of his music was inspired by his experiences in the Dust Bowl. The prolific musician would write more than 1,000 songs, including perhaps the most famous U.S. folk song, “This Land Is Your Land.”
Explore Woody Guthrie’s family tree and share your connection to the famous folk singer.