It's Black History Month in the UK

I offer you two videos.  Both, Nina Simone, one is Strange Fruit and the other is Young, Gifted and Black:

Young, Gifted and Black

Young Gifted and Black is an extraordinarily powerful song.  I cannot think of any other songs that express the same, or a similar sentiment.  That is, a sense of full pride in simply being who you are.  A feeling of joy and self worth and self value for just being who you are.  That you are not only entitled to feel pride, but that to be *you* is such a wondrous, lucky, enviable thing.  Voicing that feeling, especially for a group that is so often told they are shit for being who they are, well it’s simply beautiful and joyous.

(If i'm lucky that video link will actually work)

Continuing the musical theme - Yo Be Young, Gifted and Black

Nina Simone does this beautifully:

To be young, gifted and black,
Oh what a lovely precious dream
To be young, gifted and black,
Open your heart to what I mean

In the whole world you know
There are billion boys and girls
Who are young, gifted and black,
And that's a fact!

You are young, gifted and black
We must begin to tell our young
There's a world waiting for you
This is a quest that's just begun

When you feel really low
Yeah, there's a great truth you should know
When you're young, gifted and black
Your soul's intact

Young, gifted and black
How I long to know the truth
There are times when I look back
And I am haunted by my youth

Oh but my joy of today
Is that we can all be proud to say
To be young, gifted and black
Is where it's at

Watch her perform it here.

Singalong with me now...

Nina Simone..Aint' Got No/I Got Life..

I ain't got no home, ain't got no shoes
Ain't got no money, aint' got no class
Ain't got no skirts, ain't got no sweater
Ain't got no perfume, ain't got no beer
Ain't got no man

Ain't got no mother, ain't got no culture
Ain't got not friends, ain't got no shcooling
Ain't got no love, ain't got no name
Ain't got no ticket, ain't got no token
Ain't got no God

Then what have I got?
Why am I alive anyway?
Yeah, what have I got
Nobody can take away

Got my hair, got my head
Got my brains, got my ears
Got my eyes, got my nose
Got my mouth, I got my smile

I got my tongue, got my chin
Got my neck, got my boobs
Got my heart, got my soul
Got my back, I got my sex

I got my arms, got my hands
Got my fingers, got my legs
Got my feet, got my toes
Got my liver, got my blood

I've got life
I've got my freedom
I've got life

I've got life
And I'm gonna keep it
I've got life
And nobody's gonna take it away