The first two verses speak of the segregation that Lead Belly encountered in Washington DC : the first recounts the fact that during the trip , Lead Belly was " turned down " wherever he tried to get served due to his race , while the second recounts the argument between Lomax and his landlord over Lead Belly staying in his apartment . The third verse sarcastically cites " the home of the brave , the land of the Free " , juxtaposed with the mistreatment he received at the hands of white people in Washington , DC . The fourth verse speaks of the racism of the white population of the city , leading to the song 's end , which suggests that African Americans boycott buying homes in the district .