I GOT SOMETHING TO SAY

I WAS JUST ABOUT
TO GET INTO
SOME
REAL NEW
BLACK CONSCIOUSNESS

THEN
THE WAR
ON AMERICA
BEGAN
I TOO AM AN AMERICAN

AMERICA
THE COUNTRY
I LOVE
TO LOVE

BUT JUSTICE
HAS NOT ALWAYS
BEEN ON MY SIDE
SO WHY SHOULD I
CONFIDE
IN YOU?
I TOO AM AN AMERICAN

BUT THE FACT REMAINS
THIS IS THE
NEW MILLENNIUM
AND I’M STILL TRYING
TO BE AN AMERICAN
IN THIS SOMETIMES
FOREIGN LAND

THEN I THOUGHT
ABOUT THE
RED, WHITE AND BLUE
AS THEY REPEATEDLY
SHOWED THE CRUMBLING
OF THE TWIN TOWERS
I TOO AM AN AMERICAN

I THOUGHT ABOUT
THE STAR SPANGLED BANNER
AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL
MY COUNTRY TIS OF THEE
WERE THEY SINGING TO ME?

I WORRY ABOUT
LITTLE BLACK BOYS
AND GIRLS
ON THE FRONTLINES

DEFENDING AMERICA
ONLY TO COME HOME
TO BE JUDGED
AGAIN
BY THE COLOR
OF THEIR SKIN
NOT THE CONTENT
OF THEIR CHARACTER
I TOO AM AN AMERICAN

WONDERING
IF ALL THE
OTHER
MINORITIES
NATIONALITIES
AND RACES OF PEOPLE
WHO HAVE BENEFITTED
AND PROSPERED
FROM THE BLOOD
OF BLACK AMERICANS
FOR FREEDOM
ON THIS SOIL

ARE THEIR SONS
AND DAUGHTERS
ON THE FRONTLINES
TOO?
I TOO AM AN AMERICAN

THEN I THOUGHT
ABOUT THE SIXTIES
RED, BLACK AND GREEN
THE PRIDE
BLACK FOLKS
HAD DURING THE
SAY IT LOUD
I’M BLACK AND PROUD
REVOLUTION

THEN I THOUGHT
ABOUT THE
CIVIL WAR
THE EMANICIPATION
PROCLAMATION
RECONSTUCTION/JIM CROW
THE CIVIL RIGHTS
MOVEMENT

I CAN FEEL THE DOG BITES
I CAN FEEL THE POLICE
BILLY CLUBS
THAT REPLACED THE WHIPS
DURING SLAVERY
I TOO AM AN AMERICAN

THEN I THOUGHT
ABOUT THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT
MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.
MALCOLM X
AND ALL THE OTHER COUNTLESS
BLACK LEADERS WHO DIED

THEN I THOUGHT
ABOUT POLICE BRUTALITY
INSTITUTIONALIZED SLAVERY
THE PHILADELPHIA RIOTS
HANGING IN KOKOMO
DRAGGING A BLACK MAN
FROM THE REAR OF A CAR
BEATING AND SODOMIZING
OF A BLACK MAN IN
NEW YORK
I TOO AM AN AMERICAN