<P> After the American Civil War had ended and the institution of slavery was abolished, the song, "My Old Kentucky Home, Good Night!", which encouraged and inspired abolitionist views in the United States thereafter continued to be held in high esteem by the public . The typical reduction of the song's title from "My Old Kentucky Home, Good - Night!" to "My Old Kentucky Home" occurred after the turn of the century . </P> <P> The song's first verse and chorus are recited annually at the Kentucky Derby . Colonel Matt Winn introduced the song as a derby tradition . As early as 1930, it was played to accompany the Post Parade; the University of Louisville Marching Band has played the song for all but a few years since 1936 . In 1982, Churchill Downs honored Foster by establishing the Stephen Foster Handicap . The University of Kentucky, University of Louisville, Murray State University, Eastern Kentucky University, and Western Kentucky University bands play the song at their schools' football and basketball games . </P> <P>--Preamble to a 1928 Act of the Kentucky legislature </P> <P> In 1928, "My Old Kentucky Home" was "selected and adopted" by the Kentucky state legislature as the state's official song . It has remained so, subject to one change that was made in 1986 . In that year, a Japanese youth group visiting the Kentucky General Assembly sang the song to the legislators, using the original lyrics that included the word "darkies". Legislator Carl Hines was offended by this and subsequently introduced a resolution that would substitute the word "people" in place of "darkies" whenever the song was used by the House of Representatives . A similar resolution was introduced by Georgia Davis Powers in the Kentucky State Senate . The resolution was adopted by both chambers . </P>

Who sings my old kentucky home at the derby