by Dana Kester-McCabe
Over the last several decades reference to the song Kumbaya has become a patronizing slur characterizing someone as unrealistic or naïve. The hymn Kumbaya used to be a camp favorite which was sometimes sung as a round. There is dispute about whether it was a traditional African American folk song or was composed by one Reverend Marvin V. Frey in the 1930’s. Kumbaya Lord means – Come by here Lord. It took on its unfortunate connotation, in part, because the song was easy to teach and therefore was over used. By the 1970’s a lot of people were sick of it. During this election cycle it has been used as an insult numerous times.

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