Community singing is timeless

Throughout history, people have sung together in groups in times of joy and sorrow, war and peace, and at all kinds of gatherings.

Origins in Minnesota

During World War I, community singing was mandated by state governments, including in Minnesota, as a way to keep spirits up, propagate patriotism, solidify culture, and to keep an eye on people. A statewide community song chairperson was given the task of making sure that every county and township had volunteer community songleaders and regular gatherings for singing.

Best Singing Park

After the war, community singing kept spreading. In Minneapolis from 1919 through the late 1950s, people by the thousands went to their neighborhood parks to sing on summer evenings.  These sings were co-sponsored by the Mpls. Park Board and the Mpls.  Tribune. The Tribune provided excellent daily coverage. Imagine: every sing scored by judges, standings printed in the paper, big silver trophies for the best singing park — it was the American Idol of participatory culture.