Black people often cover our pain with laughter and music to cope with our reality when it strikes close.  Living life, just should not be so hard. A popular comedian said it best years ago when I was a teenager.

   “Man, did you know you can be harassed or arrested for just being Black on a Sunday afternoon in a park doing nothing.” (Franklin Ajaye,‘74)

If you think about the social, economic, and political systems of our current social order, you will find it painfully laughable. Why? Because our history teaches blatant contradictions of every value, principal, and human right for which this country was established on. Because everyone is not included.

When I was classified as younger, you know, 18-34, I was among the people who actively protested for change. We were very clear on the “why” as we locked arms, shouted, and sang together.

Social unrest also had it’s own sound.  Unlike my first true love, Motown, this soundtrack of life was not about “Dancing in the Streets”.  More like demanding from the streets.

Popular artists of my era produced music and lyrics which reflected the culture of the times.  Divided. Fed up. Upset.  A society in need of a new social order which included ALL people.  Songs like, “This is My Country” “A Change is Gonna Come” “Give the People What They Want” (better housing, education, wages) “Choice of Colors” “Get Involved!” “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised” “There Will Never Be Any Peace” (until God is at the conference table”) and “What’s Going On”.  The lyrics to this unmatched classic are relevant today. 

 “Mother, Mother, there’s too many of you crying, brother, brother, brother, there’s far too many of you dying”. 

Fast forward to the 90’s and the shameful verdict in favor of the police officers who assaulted Rodney King in Los Angeles… on camera.  The social justice soundtrack changes to a more radical melody of truth for young people in urban cities across America, more specific, Compton California’s NWA: “F… the Police”!    

Fast forward today.  Same song. Same dance. Racial Injustice.Different audience. New platforms like Social Media. Fresh new faces have emerged. Standing up, speaking up, tired of the injustice and unearned privileges.

Keep standing, keep demanding. Strive to be the generation who will fight for visible changes in a new America.  

 I am reminded of what you are feeling. Hopeful, optimistic, believing in promises, progressive evidence, fairness, equality, right always winning.  I am reminded of the echoing voices from the unknown casualties of racism.

For those of us who have seen the social injustice puppet show with all the string of promises. For those of us who have marched, cried, laughed, prayed, kicked, and screamed to be heard over silent violence-

Maybe this will be the time, as Sam Cooke so passionately sang, “Its been a long time coming, but I know a change is going to come.”

FC Hickombottom