THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, February 6, 1997 TAG: 9702060004
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A16 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Letter
LENGTH: 17 lines
Regarding the retirement of our state song, ``Carry Me Back To Old Virginia'': This historically accurate song was written by an African American, James A. Bland, and is not distasteful to anyone except possibly politicians looking for free media exposure. The same thinking would justify retiring ``The Star-Spangled Banner'' because it may embarrass our British friends who lost that battle in Trenton some years ago.
ALFRED M. JACOCKS
Norfolk, Jan. 29, 1997