The Orphan Train (U. Utah Phillips)

The Orphan Train movement constitutes, perhaps, the largest migration of children in human history. Between 1854 and 1929 some 250,000 youngsters, from babies to 14 years old, were rounded up from the streets and orphanages of the big cities in the Eastern United States. They were bathed, given new clothes, and sent away on orphan trains to be placed in foster homes. Nearly every state received these orphans, with an emphasis on those in the Midwest. Some of the children found families. Some found hard labor and abuse. Today, there are an estimated two million individuals who have descended from those who road the orphan trains. Utah (Bruce) Phillips (1935-2008) wrote this song after speaking with some of the adults who had survived their childhood journey on the orphan train. "I asked them if there was an orphan train song," Phillips explained. "They said they'd never heard one."

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Adam Miller
• Folksinging.org
• Singing through history
• School assembly
• Folk
• song
• singer
• Folksong
• Folksinger
• autoharpist
• autoharper
• autoharp
• diatonic
• fladmark
• walnut valley festival
• Winfield
• Entertainer
• provenance

[coolanddark]

absolutely beautiful! Im a big Utah Phillips fan! never heard this one though! SOUNDS SO GREAT!! Please say a prayer for the ophan Children!!

[primeVibe]

So great! Thank you :) we posted this video at our facebook page.

[froggiechar]

Autoharpca...you did such a nice job on this! Thank you for uploading it. You are sure great on the autoharp, and besides doing so well singing the song, you have a wonderful speaking voice! I had uploaded this song on my YouTube channel, not too long ago. It took me awhile to learn the words, though. LOL! I just subbed to your channel. It's great. God bless, Brother Charlie Pratt (froggiechar...YouTube name/channel)

[gatermap]

Good song. Good history lesson too! I hadnt a clue until I watched this video