Black Solidarity Day

I attended a Black Solidarity program earlier this week. We sang Lift Every Voice and, for the first time, I inserted my own thoughts into James Weldon Johnson's inspirational hymn. I hummed the words while watching those standing at dinner tables spread across a large room. The lights were dim.


Lift every voice and sing louder than ever. Our people are suffering. Let our rejoicing rise; we have so much to build upon---courageous leaders who left bookmarks for the struggle. From Turner, Harriet, Sojourner to Dubois, Washington and Ida, Garvey, Zora, Robeson to Elijah, Parks, King and the whole movement. Let us march, speak, vote, organize, build community power through economics, and love our children until the struggle is won. Have not our weary feet come to a place where we no longer turn to history to understand the struggle? Oh yes, they have slaughtered every voice that sang high as the listening sky. But we know that the God of our weary years and our silent tears raises voice after voice--Baldwin, Hamer, Baker, Davis, Farrakhan, Jackson, Lorde, and even Tupac--to lead us into light and keep us forever in the path. Though our hearts and vision may be hardened with fear, complacency, and empty vessels of hope, let our feet walk back to that God who brought us through the gloomy past of atrocities against the souls of black folk. May we forever fight the struggle to overcome a little trouble on our way back to our God, our native land.

I respect Weldon's now sacred lyrics and understand their place in American history, but I could not resist the temptation.

Later in the program, someone spoke on racial identity and black solidarity in times where race, skin color, and ideology spreads our people all over the political map. The goal of black unity becomes suspect and some even wonder whether its even possible. Black unity is essential in 2006 and beyond, not to discount necessary coalitions that we must also build.

Lift every voice!

Black Solidarity Day began in 1969. It was inspired by Douglas Turner Warner's play,“The Day of Absence,” which explores the important role blacks played in building the country and what would happen in our absence.