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‘I still call myself a communist’: Pete Seeger centenary
PETER FROST celebrates one of the greatest voices that fought for peace and socialism in the last hundred years
Pete Seeger [Josef Schwarz / Creative Commons]

This year on May 3 we celebrate the centenary of the birth of an American icon, a polymath, an artist, activist, humanitarian, socialist and communist. Oh yes and also a pretty decent singer, songwriter, and banjo player.

That renaissance man is Pete Seeger. I say “is” not “was” because despite the fact that Seeger died in 2014 aged 94 he will be with us and singing by our side in political and environmental battles for decades to come.

Seeger found communist politics early. In 1936, at the age of 17, he joined the Young Communist League (YCL) and in 1942, he joined the Communist Party USA (CPUSA). Seeger seems to have given up his official party membership around 1949.

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