Okemah in Okfuskee County, Oklahoma — The American South (West South Central)

Woody Guthrie

Friends of Libraries U.S.A.

— Literary Landmarks Register —

Woody Guthrie Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, May 19, 2015

1. Woody Guthrie Marker

Inscription. Okemah, Oklahoma Nestled in the Oklahoma hills and the birthplace on July 14, 1912 of
Woody Guthrie the renowned poet and folk singer. The hometown that influenced songs such as the American classic This Land Is Your Land and scores of other songs, poems, and books including his autobiographical novel Bound for Glory, is designated a literary landmark by Friends of Libraries U.S.A.

Erected 2001 by Friends of Libraries U.S.A.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, Music • Landmarks. In addition, it is included in the Literary Landmarks series list. A significant historical date for this entry is July 14, 1912.

Location. 35° 25.878′ N, 96° 18.239′ W. Marker is in Okemah, Oklahoma, in Okfuskee County. Marker is on West Broadway Street (Oklahoma Route 56) west of South 3rd Street, on the left when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 307 W Broadway St, Okemah OK 74859, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 6 other markers are within 11 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Woody Guthrie in Okemah, Oklahoma (a few steps from this marker); Cromwell (approx. 10.8 miles away); Boley, Oklahoma (approx.

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10.9 miles away); Okfuskee County, Rosenwald Schools, and Boley (approx. 10.9 miles away); J.B. Boley (approx. 10.9 miles away); Founders of Boley-Pioneer (approx. 10.9 miles away).

Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker.

Also see . . . This Land Is Your Land.

"This Land Is Your Land" is one of the United States' most famous folk songs. Its lyrics were written by American folk singer Woody Guthrie in 1940 in critical response to Irving Berlin's "God Bless America", with melody based on a Carter Family tune called "When the World's on Fire". When Guthrie was tired of hearing Kate Smith sing "God Bless America" on the radio in the late 1930s, he sarcastically called his song "God Blessed America for Me" before renaming it "This Land Is Your Land".
In 2002, "This Land Is Your Land" was one of 50 recordings chosen that year by the Library of Congress to be added to the National Recording Registry. In 2021, it was listed at No. 229 on Rolling Stone's "Top 500 Best Songs of All Time".

(Submitted on November 30, 2022, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, May 19, 2015

2. Woody Guthrie Marker

(Mounted on brick pedestal in front of Woody Guthrie statue)

Credits. This page was last revised on November 30, 2022. It was originally submitted on November 29, 2022, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 101 times since then and 26 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on November 29, 2022, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. 2. submitted on November 30, 2022, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.