Penning Patriotism — Katharine Lee Bates and "America the Beautiful"

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The recent hatching of baby eaglets in Big Bear, CA has Amy thinking a lot about patriotism and what it actually means in turbulent times for our country. Lost lady of lit Katharine Lee Bates — a staunch activist for social justice who decried America’s isolationist policies — must have considered the same when, during a trip across the country in 1893, she penned what would eventually become the lyrics to “America the Beautiful.” The original words to her poem are a bit more pointed than the version we know today, offering a new perspective on pure (but not blind) patriotism.
Mentioned in this episode:
Big Bear Eagle Cam (youtube.com/watch?v=B4-L2nfGcuE)
Friends of Big Bear Valley (friendsofbigbearvalley.org)
Katharine Lee Bates (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katharine_Lee_Bates)
“America the Beautiful” and changing lyrics over time (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/America_the_Beautiful)
“America the Beautiful”: The Stirring True Story Behind our Nation’s Favorite Song (amazon.com/America-Beautiful-Stirring-Nations-…) by Lynn Sherr
Chicago Columbian Exposition of 1893 (worldsfairchicago1893.com)
“America the Beautiful” rendition by Ray Charles (youtube.com/watch?v=TRUjr8EVgBg)
“Goody Santa Claus on a Sleigh Ride” (en.wikisource.org/wiki/Goody_Santa_Claus_on_a_…) by Katharine Lee Bates

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