John Lennon - Woman is the "N" of the World

Slave song by Sade Adu

I see them gathered, see them on the shore
I turned to look once more
And he who knows me not
Takes me to the belly of darkness

The tears run swift and hard
And when they fall
Even, even the comfort of a stone
Would be a gain
There was a time when I thought
I would have to give up
But I'm thankful that I'm
Strong as I am and I'll
Try to do the best I can

Tears will run swift
And tears will come that fall like rain
I pray that it's swift though
Tears will fall as cold as pain

I pray to the almighty
Let me not to him do
As he has unto me
Teach my beloved children
Who have been enslaved
To reach for the light continually

So many times I prayed
So many times I've prayed for you
Prayed for you

The tears run swift and hard and cold as pain
Even, even the comfort of a stone would be a gain
Had I not had the strength and wisdom of a warrior
I would have to give up
But I'm thankful that I'm
Strong as I am and I'll
Try to do the best I can

I pray to the almighty
Let us not do as he has unto us
Teach my beloved children I've been a slave
But reach for the light continually

Wisdom is the flame
Wisdom is the brave warrior
Who will carry us into the sun
I pray that it's swift though
Tears will come that fall like rain

So many times, so many times

Summertime

This song was sang by Fantasia on American Idol. It is not only a beautiful song; it also depicts the live of an African American in the south. It illustrate how African Americans have used music as inspiration and the importance of music in the community.

Summertime and the livin' is easy
Fish are jumpin' and the cotton is high
Oh, your daddy's rich and your ma is good lookin'
So hush little baby, don't you cry

One of these mornings, you're goin' to rise up singin'
Then you spread your wings and you'll take the sky
But 'til that mornin', there's nothin' can harm you
With daddy and mammy standin' by

One of these mornings, you're goin' to rise up singin'
Then you spread your wings and you'll take the sky
But 'til that mornin', there's nothin' can harm you
With daddy and mammy standin' by

'A Change Is Gonna Come'

Sam Cooke was one of the first singers to bring Soul music to the forefront. His music served as an inspiration to incredibly iconic artists like Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye, and Stevie Wonder just to name a few. Early in his career, Cooke was known for more light-hearted songs like one of my personal favorites, 'You Send Me.' However, Cooke had been inspired in 1963 when he heard Bob Dylan's 'Blowin' In The Wind.' He was deeply moved by Dylan's lyrics that told of the sad reality of racism in America. After attending at sit-in demonstration in Durham, North Carolina, Cooke wrote what would become one of the greatest songs in all of music history according to Rolling Stone. Cooke was born in Mississippi and had been affected by harsh discrimination in the Deep South. Specifically, Cooke and had band and tried to register at a motel for whites only. By doing so, they were arrested in Shreveport, Louisiana for disturbing the peace according to law officials. Naturally, he wanted to incorporate these emotions and experiences into his music. However, he was at first hesitant because he had garnered many white fans and he didn't want to alienate them. Luckily, Cooke overcame his fears and wrote the song that lived within his heart. I couldn't find a video of Sam Cooke singing this song live. However, I encourage you to listen to this song with your eyes closed. When I did so, I was able to feel the emotion and pain in his voice. I imagine the pain must be similar to what blacks felt during the era of slavery. Even though Cooke's life has been hard, he remains hopeful that change will come. Sadly, Cooke died a year after he wrote 'A Change Is Gonne Come.' Rest in peace, Sam.

On a side note, if you wish, please watch this second video. The interviewer asked Sam Cooke to hum 8 bars of what soul represented to him. The 30 second clip gave me goosebumps!

Go Down Moses!

1. When Israel was in Egypt’s land,
   Let My people go!
   Oppressed so hard they could not stand,
   Let My people go!
   • Refrain:
     Go down, Moses,
     Way down in Egypt’s land;
     Tell old Pharaoh
     To let My people go!
2. No more shall they in bondage toil,
   Let My people go!
   Let them come out with Egypt’s spoil,
   Let My people go!
3. Oh, let us all from bondage flee,
   Let My people go!
   And let us all in Christ be free,
   Let My people go!
4. You need not always weep and mourn,
   Let My people go!
   And wear these slav’ry chains forlorn,
   Let My people go!
5. Your foes shall not before you stand,
   Let My people go!
   And you’ll possess fair Canaan’s land,
   Let My people go!
6. The song clearly commands the pharaoh to let the israelites go from oppression and slavery. The words are not inspired by Moses, but by the words of God. Slavery is not just an invention of the 20th century, but has been as old as the world itself. Black slaves that lived in the south could have used this song to encourage themselves. The song cannot only be referred to slavery in the United States, but also be applied to slavery in today's society. Slavery exists in many forms. Some are oppressed by keeping them captive in small environments. One way slavery is still present in society is through human trafficking. Songs such as "Go Down Moses", or "Wade In The Water", have inspired many to overcome their struggles. Many songs that have been written during slavery were songs that were instructions for slaves to flee from their slave owners. The slaves would use their church as a meeting place to discuss their escape. Through songs they were able to communicate on a level unfamiliar to whites. It was like speaking another language.
7. Jezreel Asare

WEB Du Bois

This is a picture of one of the most important African American protest leaders in the United States in the first half of the 20^th century: W.E.B. Du Bois. Du Bois, born in 1868, has written many books, shared the creation of what is known as the National Association of the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), and edited a magazine called The Crisis for 24 years. Do Bois went to a African American college in Nashville, Tennessee called Fisk University, and he graduated in the year 1888. He later went on to earn his Ph.D. from Harvard in 1895. He may have had a history degree, but he had a vast knowledge of social sciences, and he was concerned with the conditions African Americans were in at the time. Du Bois lived in a time where lynching, Jim Crow segregation laws, riots, and disfranchisement was at its highest, and he argued that social change could come about through means of protest and agitation. This opinion clashed with another man who was one of the most influential African American leader of the time, Booker T. Washington. Washington believed that African Americans should accept discrimination for the time being and move forward, work harder, and become economically sound. In 1905 Du Bois founded the Niagara Movement, which basically attacked Booker T. Washington’s platform. This group met regularly until about 1909, and stopped due to internal squabbles and opposition from Washington. However, this was important because it ended up being an inspiration for the creation of the NAACP. Du Bois later in life joined the Communist Party in 1961. He was very much into the ideas and practices of socialism.

-Jake Robinson

Booker T. Washington - The Atlanta Compromise Speech (1904)

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/09/weekinreview/09harris.html

I was searching around Booker T. Washington and this picture captured my interest. It is Booker T. Washington sitting down for a meal with Teddy Roosevelt, with a picture of Abraham Lincoln in the background. This shows three characters in history that have all thought that there should be equality amongst blacks and whites. The infamous Theodore Roosevelt once said "I have not been able to think out any solution of the terrible problem offered by the presence of the Negro on this continent, but of one thing I am sure, and that is that inasmuch as he is here and can neither be killed nor driven away, the only wise and honorable and Christian thing to do is to treat each black man and each white man strictly on his merits as a man, giving him no more and no less than he shows himself worthy to have". He also appointed several African Americans to federal office. Along with Roosevelt, Booker T. Washington was also an icon in the African American society. Probably the most influential African American person during this time period. In 1901, Theodore Roosevelt actually invited Booker T. Washington to dinner, and that is what this picture portrays. They showed that there was a possibility for equality amongst blacks and whites, giving hope to a somewhat demoralized African American culture.

A perfect example Booker T. Washington

Booker T. Washington said, "Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome. I think he live up to his saying and with this I was able to find out seven things sayings that will keep human beings determined at any point in time.

You can listen to and read all of the self-development in the world, but if you don’t put what you’re learning into action, things won’t change. There’s a Swedish proverb that goes, “God gives every bird a worm, but he does not throw it into the nest.” You have the potential to succeed, but you’re going to have to work the principles that you know.

In order for your life to change, you must change. To the degree that you change your thoughts, will be to the degree that your life changes. Don’t expect anything to change if you’re not changing. Don’t expect your marriage to get any better, if you’re not changing. Don’t expect your health to get any better if you’re not changing. If you want massive change, you must make massive change.

When you reach for great things you will stumble; just be sure to learn from the stumble. A stumble could be the best thing that ever happened to you. A stumble may prevent total chaos in your life, if you learn from it. Learn to value stumbles and to learn from the stumbles.

Success does not come from what you attain, but from who you become. Success is not a big car; success is you being big on the inside. When you’re big on the inside, you can attract a big car, but the car does not make you, you make the car. If you decide to grow up, you will succeed. Jim Rohn said, “We can have more than we’ve got because we can become more than we are."

The good news is you always have possession of the ball in the game of life. Unfortunately, most people don’t realize that they have possession of the ball. They’re waiting around for someone to pass them the ball, and they already have it. Take charge of your life, you got the ball, it’s in your court, what are you going to do?


The hard part is always the beginning, the push through the crowd. But if you make it through the crowd, you can make it to the top. I said, “If you can make it through the crowd, you can make it to the top.” Commit today, to push through the crowd.


Vision is your ability to see down the road. Use your imagination to see all the way down the road. I like what Robert Collier said, he said, “The great successful men of the world have used their imagination, they think ahead and create their mental picture in all its details, filling in here, adding a little there, altering this a bit and that a bit, but steadily building – steadily building.”
Keep on building, and your vision will become your reality. Keep on building and success will be yours.