AMERICA, SWEET AMERICA...

Oh beautiful land of freedom

On whom our father’s died

Under who's purple mountains majesties

Was stolen our ancestor's pride

You crowned this land with brotherhood

but gave no throne to me

and yet we helped you build it

From sea to shining sea

We are the forgotten Negroes The minutemen on Bunker Hill Martyrs of the 54th Massachusetts Charging to death on Fort Wagner’s hill

Though our dignity was broken By our God we were refined We worked the cotton fields of the stolen By keeping our eyes on the divine

Oh beautiful land under Heaven Of blessings an fruited plains Don't you know you lands are sacred? Don't you know your grounds are stained? Anointed with the blood of "Wounded Knee" And millions of slaves who yearned to be free America! Sweet America! God has shed many tears on thee For he gave you peace and brotherhood But you hid it from people like me

No longer can you hiss and whisper Nor turn to hide your shame For if America is to be America It must move beyond enameled pain

Yet, through it all my Sweet America We stand undimmed by our ancestral tears We still hold you to your sacred promise: "Through hope; love will always endears" We look beyond all your sheer pageantry Evoking your simple words in time: "All men are created equal" To live as brothers under the divine

America! Sweet America! God still sheds his grace on thee Not because you are noble But because you still allow men to live free!

Understand my Sweet America How your grace has survived It was given from the prayers of the wounded that endured their pain here with pride

It was given by the Indians whose land and blood you stole It was given by the Slaves Who you tore and never made whole It was given by the new immigrants beat to death coming into this land It was given by the Asians blown apart so your dams could stand

Oh Sweet Sweet America Earn all our ancestor's pride Stand for your bode of liberty

Let your truth and freedom never be lies For the paths that were wrought for liberty Were not only made by pilgrim's knee they were opened by your multitude Red, White, Black, and Free