Odetta Speaks About Her Life As An Activist

[Unpromoted]

At about 1:47 I found myself raising my right hand into the air just little bit above my head. Wow. This "nappy headed little girl" as she calls her self even carries great power forward after death!

[Broblem12]

lovely and soulful lady. glad to hear hers speak as i am to hear her lovely singing. A woman to be known throughout the ages...

[1kash123]

Severe Civil rights crimes are committed in Canada by authorities against citizens who try to use their constitutional civil right of not talking to them. This anti-democracy, authority attacks happen with lazer/tazer type guns which work through concrete walls of your home from outside or even the floor above. They rape women with these high power guns, also abuse their access to high ranking officials giving them one side of false story against citizen who questions their abuse of power.

[shadowfaxx1]

Aging was kind to her. Look, still so beautiful!

[megchristianfan]

12-29-10 Odetta Remembered. Born 12-31-30 and passed 12-2-08.

[saveburmanowsf]

please... save burma now

you can help

read "UNDAUNTED" by ZOYA PHAN

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MAE TAO CLINIC

peace for all and please stay active

[Shoshanavox]

She was an amazing storyteller singer and movement activist! I am young but have grown up inspired by her life. I was lucky enough meet her in the year before she died. She was gracious and inspiring and wanted to know about me (!) and my life inspired by folk music. She was so beautiful and strong and humble til the end. A real lover of real people and our ability to do amazing things!

[jkeenanphotography]

Most of you must be younger that 50. Odetta was a great folk singer, civil rights icon, and anti war activist during the Vietnam War. She sang at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass in SF a few years ago and got a long standing ovation. She died last year I think.

[jangofet555]

her voice is kinda conforting, seems like a really nice lady

[guitarplayinkid91]

I am not really sure what it is neither but someone had posted comments about it on here. They kept saying to check this video out, etc.

[MarxBakuninMe]

Those are bots.

[guitarplayinkid91]

people stop posting about the vthov video. no one cares.

[MarxBakuninMe]

I care.

[guitarplayinkid91]

I was talking about the Vthov comments not about Odetta. If you are talking about the Vthov video what I meant was that this space is supposed to be about comments on the Odetta video not Vthov.

[MarxBakuninMe]

vthov?

[animechic25]

i thought she was african never heard of her before...who is she?

[MissKitae]

Apparently she was an activist. First I ever heard of her was in the original Hairspray, when Ricki Lake (Tracy) was in the Beatnik's apartment.

[AstridVonAij]

Powerful and beautiful.

xo- Astrid

[eltel22]

Looks like something out of Star Trek.

[levo75]

It may be the other way around.

[iLikeGoodMusak]

Great Video. Have you guys heard of Vthov? Search "Vthov Obama Inauguration Song". This dude surprised the hell out of me with his talent.

[Swagtastical]

This is dat get, but yall need to check this cat Vthov's swag. He does his own tracks start to finish.... sick beats and raw lyrics. I think he'll give Kanye a good run. He's a nobody now but search "Vthov Obama Inauguration Song" and you'll see what I'm talking about. His music is fire.

[chick5581]

iMovie Your awesome so you tape people. Interesting...

[Chick6517]

Very interesting. Thanks for making this video. haha It&TBPSQUOs amazing how informative YOUTUBE is nowadays. who would have thought!

[typeinbolivianbug]

only in america could people be foolish enough to give women voices. Thats y americans are ignorant.

[GunRunner212]

Haha, no..its ignorant when you give hippie, activistic women voices XD

[typeinbolivianbug]

as opposed to what conservative women? haha that would be even worse. im sorry but i dont give a shit about ur kids and i want my books and tv uncesnsored.

[veeling]

Speaking of, I noticed my poem was gone. My gift to the world (pause) erased (stares intensely).

[lolatmarshall]

you just proved you dont have to be a "women "or american to be ignorant.

[SonAlch]

Well Well ... The desendants of 'Columbus' have checked in once again ... the same challenge stands ... ? is ... what's up with your 'Activities' ? ...

[veeling]

So...with a couple of properly placed pauses in your speech, and a couple of intense stares into space, you too can seem intelligent and insightful.

And remember, always dress like a circus clown - this will make them think that you are playing by different societal rules than they are and you must know something they don't.

This concludes today's lesson, "How to say nothing of value and still be taken seriously".

[SonAlch]

Reads like someone's 'hatin' ... Challenge my friend ... place your life time's activities next to hers ... examine both carefully ... then check back in with us and share your analysis ...

[veeling]

I'm not "hatin'", I'm "mockin'". You're right, I haven't done much. I do however make a mean plate of spaghetti. I wrote a poem about it(pause)here it goes (stares intensely)... Spaghetti sticks graceful and strong You did not ask to be boiled so hatefully You were taken from your box without your consent Stolen (pause) Ever be proud spaghetti sticks For when they boil you You will become delicious They will soon know you and will praise you as (stares) Al dente!

[MikoWilson]

I'm sorry, but that poem was absolutely incredible. Other statements aside, that Al Dente line just floored me :)

[ximwise]

Flawless! many +1s for you my friend

[IFeelHappy]

I love her singing "Waltzing me all the way home'BY The 6ths

she will be missed

[bluebuzzardcod4]

looks like a rooster with that thing on her head

[cadetstarnoodle]

Strange, I was just going to post a new comment that complimented how she looked - like a beautiful sunflower. Hmmmm.

[NZtrillion]

she's awesome!

[Elderberry4]

God is she beautiful, even her speaking voice resonates with spirit. She has always been my favorite singer.

[ooooomj]

我中国人，你们对以色列空袭加沙有何感想？hello，i am a chinese,i want to know your attitute about Israel air raid Palestinian!thanks!

[eltel22]

Maybe you should be more interested about our attitude towards Tibet and Taiwan.

[ooooomj]

ye``i am not interested about it!```the goverment will do it ,we can not 管那些事`

[coprfeldkila]

when they did a close-up on her eyes it was really really weird and unecessary

[jkinhart]

The camera person was checking focus.

[MaruchannelAdmin]

She's charmingly knowledgeable and articulate; her use of the English language carries that old feeling of "larger than life".

[laughablestories]

Activism is good! Dont fight, make love.

[GunRunner212]

No, No, why do that when there is EVIL TO BE STOPPED, i mean rebels to be put down...cough cough, damn hippies....

[thicktoes]

i heard odetta sing, speak, chant and make some noise at the 2008 blue grass music festival in golden gate park. she was in a wheelchair, but she was strong.

[manou180800]

where is she from?

[thicktoes]

birmingham alabama, born 1930.

[OBEYxSLIM]

who the hell are you?

[elraheem]

Did Odetta come on morning TV with a guitarist named Kevin in the late 60's?

[GunRunner212]

I respect all you people who try to make the world a better place, but it will never happen, man cannot live without conflict, so you cannot get rid of the conflict without conflict, thus peace is an unachievable idea. Anyone who thinks they can counter my...idea...please feel free to try. All im saying is give up on the peace idea, the world is fine how it is.

[Masterfuryx]

Man can easily live without conflict, most people dont like conflicts and conflicts are started because of all the forms of stupidity. Ignorance, greed, intolerance ect. The world is already smartening up and peace is achievable if the power of the world would be in the hands of smart people with the best of the world in mind. A World without money, a world without war, a world without hunger and poverty. Its all very Achievable if everyone tries.

[Masterfuryx]

Unfortunately its the mentality that you have that destroys this whole concept. I think that in good 100-150 years in the future (if our planet aint dead yet) the world would probably be 1 country with an unified people. New generations keeps evolving and every generation is smarter than the last. Its only a matter of time until we have more smart people than dumb people and change will happen.

[alphiomega]

We need variety. unification means nothing unless it is unification under understood moral law, inwhich everyone can freely live without restraints. We see governments as this entity and fail to see that they too are merely human; unification under a sing world country is a scary thought because one group will claim the moral superiority and force all else to follow. We need tolerance and innovation to define humanity. I can't imagine the point of living if peace mean we are all the same...

[GunRunner212]

im gonna have to agree with alpiomega...unification is taking away our rights, in a sense of way, theres always that rebel who gets people together for a cause, and destroys the system , thats our only problem. The world would be much better if we all just followed by the rules and did what we were told, some people need to get in line.

[pcs56]

A very nice ideal, but...things have not changed in 10,000 years, why would you think they would change so drastically in only 100 more? Just because technology has evolved exponentially in the last 100 years does not mean man has gotten any smarter. We are still living by the same codes we lived by thousands of years ago. Also, at his core, man is an animal. And animals are by their very nature greedy, selfish, hungry survivalists.

[JasonUnruhe]

And as long as people liek you exist it never will. We don't have better world because us us, but because of you. You know what is wrong, still you use some BS about human nature as an excuse not to do good.

[GunRunner212]

...Jason this world isnt ending any time soon, humans are persistant little SOBs, its a good thing to have, but sometimes it can be a major flaw...Give up the Global Warming idea-it isnt real, Give up the idea of peace between people in the near future-Theres always a rebel, and just do what your told, listening to your government will make this world a better place, they may not be doing the right thing but it will pay off, when everyone listens to the higher up, there will be peace

[littlebuddy149722]

Gunrunner is a wise man or woman. He is a realist rather than an idealist. Most people are fools. The right thing to do is look at the history of human behavior and accept that this will remain the same in the future. Idealists cannot accept this. They are masochists who love the pain and abuse of the past.

[rutteger13]

apparently Odetta sang for my parents after their first son died... my dad was quite aggrieved to hear she had passed..

[OdinLostEye]

Isporation? What is Odetta's isporation?

[mephistox1010]

For anyone who has read Steven King's epic novel The Gunslinger, could this be his isporation for Odetta?

[usergently]

He had a dream, now we are about to wake up on that dream. Peace!

[N0GGINB0NKER]

I didn't really know much about her. Only think I remember her for was singing on David Letterman Show during his second show since the 911 attacks. She sung "This Little Light of Mine" with the Harlem Boys Choir. It was so good it gave me goose bumps.

I wish someone would upload that clip. If anyone knows where I can see it, please send me a link.

[VeganaExPuta]

Oh, thank you so much for sharing this interview with us. Odetta was part of MY U.S. and music history. Since my parents were human rights activists and labor union organizers, it was only natural that I'd grow into folk/protest music (a HUGE part of the Civil Rights Movement), and eventually -- early on, thank god -- fall in love with Odetta's voice and her words. Years later, I got to introduce my mother to her, and they had a wonderful day together! Odetta has always been one of my heroes.

[heymaria123]

Rest in The Peace. I love her. thanks for posting