The Washington Post – The Philadelphia Flyers covered a statue of singer Kate Smith outside their arena, following the New York Yankees in cutting ties and looking into allegations of racism against the 1930s star known for a popular recording of “God Bless America.”
Flyers officials said Friday they plan to remove the recording from their library because several other songs performed by Smith, “contain offensive lyrics that do not reflect our values as an organization.”
The New York Daily News reported the Yankees suspended their use of Smith’s recording during the seventh-inning stretch amid conflicting claims about several of her songs, including a 1939 song, “That’s Why the Darkies Were Born.”
