Called “America’s tuning fork” by poet Carl Sandburg, folk legend and activist Pete Seeger (1919–2014), born on this day in New York, taught the world with his music and helped popularize folk alongside his friend Woody Guthrie.

The son of Juilliard music professors, Seeger dropped out of Harvard in 1938 to discover America—hitchhiking and riding the rails.

“Perhaps musicians can teach the rest of the human race that life is a struggle, but not a war,” said the five-string banjo virtuoso. With a lifetime commitment to the environment, peace, and justice, his songs were rich in history, humor, and advocacy, often brought to life through rousing sing-alongs.

“An artist, any kind of artist, is also a citizen and has a citizen’s responsibilities,” Seeger once said.

Upon Seeger’s 1996 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, actor Harry Belafonte said, “If they ever decide to put a fifth face on Mount Rushmore, I would nominate Pete Seeger. He is one of the great sons of this country.”

Blacklisted in the 1950s, Seeger’s heartfelt protest songs found new voices in the 1960s. Peter, Paul and Mary hit it big with “If I Had a Hammer” and the Kingston Trio sang “Where Have All the Flowers Gone?”

“We got to get over the idea that if you’re not reaching millions, you’re a failure... We can be quite small and still be something,” said the man who played rallies for Martin Luther King, Jr. and countless others.

In 1966, Seeger founded The Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, a floating classroom of hope. Fueled by education, advocacy, and joyful celebration, the grassroots movement helped heal the polluted Hudson and inspired the passage of the 1972 Clean Water Act—a victory for both nature and community.

“The artist in ancient times inspired, entertained, and educated,” he said. “Modern artists have an additional responsibility—to encourage others to be artists.”