That's Why Darkies Were Born
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| "That's Why Darkies Were Born" | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Song by various artists | |
| Released | 1931 |
| Recorded | 1931 |
| Songwriters | Ray Henderson and Lew Brown |
| Notably recorded by Paul Robeson and Kate Smith | |
"That's Why Darkies Were Born" was a song written by Ray Henderson and Lew Brown. It originated in George White's Scandals of 1931, where white baritone Everett Marshall performed the song in blackface.[1]
The song was popularized by singer Kate Smith, whose rendition was a hit in 1931,[2][better source needed] and by singer and civil rights activist Paul Robeson.[3][4] It was also featured in a 1931 all-star recording of a medley of songs from George White's Scandals.
One verse runs:
- Someone had to pick the cotton,
- Someone had to plant the corn,
- Someone had to slave and be able to sing,
- That's why darkies were born.
The song was part of a fatalistic musical genre in the 1930s where African-Americans were depicted as "fated to work the land, fated to be where they are, to never change".[1] "That's Why Darkies Were Born" has been described as presenting a satirical view of racism,[5] although others have said there is no evidence that the song was ever performed in a satirical or joking manner.[1] The song was criticized as racist by African-American audiences in the early 1930s, and Mildred Bailey received many letters from the public urging her to stop performing it in 1931.[1]
