Seeger those were the days

When I was in college and a young worker, I was much more the social activist. I don't remember how the connection was made but I became part of a small group of folk singing folks who wanted to do something for the segregated schools in the south. Most had no textbooks or only one copy per class. We would work at finding gigs, some community settings and some churches. But we sang wherever and past a hat collected dollars and sent the money off to a project at Antioch College. We sang many of the slave songs, Gunthrie, Seeger, etc. Sometimes we sang for 2hrs for $20. But we met every Wednesday and usually sang every Saturday night.
I often was pair with our guitar player Walter who worked for Nibisco and drove a truck. Walter was a friend and had regular contact with Seeger. In those days much of the civil rights movement,  particularly those of us that were active were under suspect for being un American. Walter wore a peace sign on his jacket that a well known "communist" Seeger had given him. It was the first time I had seen it but I was against war, so I got a sign and wore it.
Walter knew there were agents following him and peeping out the rehearsal window we could see the car with the man just sitting there.  I was not surprised when someone on my ski patrol,  an FBI agent, told me to be careful of my associates since I was now working in government.
Here I thought I was doing good works...but my indirect association with Pete Seeger and weekly contact with Walter had me on the suspect list for the house on un American activities.
We were very excited to learn Pete and the Weavers were coming to Buffalo and that after they were going to join us for a sing out.
It was a Friday and I was in Rochester for a social services conference when just after lunch a shot was fired that killed JFK and everything was canceled....and I never got to sing with whom someone then thought was un America.
I cried when I saw Seeger get the Kennedy Metal and wondered whatever happened to Walter
....this land is your land...this land is my land...........follow the drinking gourd....the ink is blank..the paper is white.....
Those were the days when I really stepped up and walk my talk and had the privilege of being in the company of people who wore the pins....Give a Damn.