The University of Georgia’s marching band is going to end the tradition of performing the song “Tara’s Theme” from the film “Gone With the Wind” as the post football game concert opener.
“To be clear, the issue with the tradition is not the motivation of those who have embraced it, but rather the possibilities it may limit in those who haven’t,” he wrote, emphasizing that the band has a history of removing “Dixie” from its name and taking the song out of its setlist, a decision aimed to create more “sense of belonging” in Black band members at the time.
“I value tradition, but I value creating a welcoming environment much more,” Bawcum wrote.
Composed by three-time Academy Award winner Max Steiner, “Tara’s Theme” is hailed as one of the most recognizable scores in the history of American cinema. It is heavily featured in the 1939 epic “Gone With the Wind,” which is centered around a family that lives on Tara, a fictional plantation in the state of Georgia.
Meanwhile, the decision to temporarily remove “Gone With the Wind” from HBO Max added to the movie’s popularity. Following HBO Max’s announcement, the movie quickly topped the “movie and TV” charts on Amazon, as people who wished to see the film rushed to the shopping website to get their own copies of DVD, Blu-ray, and the 70th Anniversary Edition.
“If people are really doing their homework, we may be poised to have our most informed, honest and productive national conversations yet about Black lives on screen and off,” she said.