Okemah native Woody Guthrie is perhaps the most important and influential American folk musician of any decade, but especially the first half of the 20th century.

Guthrie was, above all, a philosopher who gave a voice to the masses.

His fearless take on the woes of working people taught his peers — and later generations — that, indeed, artists could change the landscape for the rest of us.

His many songs, essays and poems often were considered subversive, but he wrote and sang as a true patriot.

Guthrie’s views didn’t always win him favor. However, his legacy has expanded with every generation it’s touched.

The Tulsa World dedicates this site in honor of his 100th birthday in 2012.