We Are A Part

We are apart of long lineage of those that understand what the meaning of burden is

A race that have stood on the front line in the war on poverty

That knows the pain of watching their loved ones hanging from nooses

Done by those who looked at their lives as a novelty

For whom 40 acres and a mule were replaced with 40 ounces and the blues

And we can still feel the dogs biting at our ankles and the separate list of rules

We're the ones whose accomplishments never made the news

Our elders reduced to shining the shoes of rich white fools

Big mama's too tired to tend to us 'cause she's worked all day chasing the white ladies' kids

She came home with just enough strength to cook us a meal

Barely had enough time to sit down and rest her eyelids

Before having another long day with which to deal

We are apart of the moment when Jackie broke the color lines

And when Martin spoke of reaching the promised land

And when Malcolm wanted people to mobilize

And when Garvey wanted to take us home again

We apart of a proud long history of pioneers

Of honor and joy

struggle and pain

scars and millions of tears

And we continue to tread forward

Overcoming again and again