Poster - Pete Seeger 1919–2014

Pete Seeger ¡Presente! Photograph ©Christopher Felver SCW ©2014 One of Pete’s favorite things was getting a group of people to sing together. Pete’s quote from the 1986 Peace Calendar, which featured a beautiful peace quilt:

¡Pete Seeger Presenté!

Pete has been an inspiration to generations of activists and justice-loving people around the world. He was a singer and songwriter, a cultural worker, a strong union supporter and the founder of the Clearwater, dedicated to cleaning the majestic Hudson River.

His contributions to building a compassionate people/earth-centered body politic are enormous.

In Central New York, he was a strong supporter of the Syracuse Community Choir (SCC), Karen Mihalyi, founder and director. Performing concerts at the Landmark Theatre with the choir in 1994 and 2003. He also did a benefit concert for the Syracuse Peace Council in the 1970’s. Pete had a long-time relationship with the Onondaga people, Faithkeeper Oren Lyons, and the Haudenosaunee.

For many years Pete used Syracuse Cultural Workers (SCW) postcard “How To Build Global Community” in much of his correspondence. He also acted as an informal “consultant” with SCW, frequently commenting on poster designs and concepts. In 2013, Pete and his family allowed SCW to produce the first “official” T-shirt of Pete’s message though, typically, he did not want his name on it! On the banjo on the T-shirt, “This machine surrounds hate and forces it to surrender.” with his quote, “…the right song at the right moment can change history.”

Pete’s quote from the back cover of the 1986 Peace Calendar:

“The patchwork quilt is really a symbol of the world which must come: one new design made out of many old designs. We will stitch this world together yet. Don’t give up.”

Dik Cool, SCW Publisher/Founder,  January 28, 2014