Black Lives Matter

Ella’s Song

Composed by Dr. Bernice Johnson Reagon

Founder of Sweet Honey in the Rock a cappella ensemble 

Refrain: 

We who believe in freedom cannot rest 

We who believe in freedom cannot rest until it comes 

Verses: 

Until the killing of Black men, Black mothers’ sons 

Is as important as the killing of White men, White mothers’ sons 

And that which touches me most is that I had a chance to work with people Passing on to others that which was passed on to me 

To me young people come first, they have the courage where we fail 

And if I can shed some light as they carry us through the gale 

The older I get the better I know that the secret of my going on 

Is when the reins are in the hand of the young who dare to run against the storm 

Not needing to clutch for power, not needing the light just to shine on me 

I need to be just one in the number as we stand against tyranny 

Struggling myself don’t mean a whole lot I come to realize 

That teaching others to stand up and fight is the only way my struggle survive 

I’m a woman who speaks in a voice and I must be heard At time I can be quite difficult, I’ll bow to no man’s word

Posted in light of on-going police brutality against black folks, the latest victim we heard of sadly being a beautiful young woman, Sandra Bland. 

"This video of the arrest of Sandra Bland shows totally outrageous police behavior. No one should be yanked from her car, thrown to the ground, assaulted and arrested for a minor traffic stop. The result is that three days later she is dead in her jail cell. This video highlights once again why we need real police reform. People should not die for a minor traffic infraction. This type of police abuse has become an all-too-common occurrence for people of color and it must stop." ~ Bernie Sanders - from the Bernie Sanders For President facebook page.

"Part of the point is that the lived experience of black women is excluded from the public discourse. It’s never going to be their turn to have their voices heard, so they have to create the opportunities to make their voices heard. Protests are always criticized as being at the wrong time because those who need to protest are never the people writing the agenda. That’s the value of protest." - Tim DeChristopher interviewed by Bill Moyers