Taking the Great Leap Forwards: Teaching Woody Guthrie in the College Classroom

This essay explores the work of Woody Guthrie and other folk artists who have followed in his tradition of documenting working-class people’s experiences in song. In addition to outlining the creation of the Teaching Woody Guthrie Faculty Learning Collective–a group of teacher-scholars, activists, and musicians who are dedicated to collaborating across disciplines to illustrate Woody Guthrie’s relevance in today’s precarious world–the essay includes suggested curriculum to teach folk music and political activism in the college classroom.