SONGS ABOUT BLACK PRIDE

Kofi -- Brown Sugar -"Black Pride"

Uploaded by max1xxx on Jul 21, 2010

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In the United States and in numerous other countries in the world most of the attributes for the color "black" are negative.

For centuries the color "black" has been equated with things that are bad or problematic or evil, for example "black clouds", "being in a black mood", and "black humor" (gallows humor, humor that is cynical). In European countries and also in the United States, it was traditional to warn children that if they were bad, they would receive a clump of black coal on Christmas day but if they were good, they would received a lump of white sugar. And throughout Europe, the devil has long been symbolized as being the color "black", and not just the color "red" that is familiar to most people in the United States.

Those negative connotations for the color black easily carried over to negative views about people who have dark skin. And it's significant that, until very recently, God, Jesus, and angels were only portrayed as being White. Although there are statues & paintings of Black Madonnas* in Europe, few people in the United States know of these works of art.

While most of the connotations for the color "black" are negative, there are a few positive connotations for that color - "being in the black" (making a financial profit), "black soil" (soil that is rich and fertile), and wearing a black dress for formal occassions (epitomizing sophistication). But the centuries old negative connotations for the word "black" help create and maintain institutional & personal racism against Black people. Negative connotations for the color "black" and negative attitudes toward and images of dark skinned people also result in colorism** that dark skin people have toward each other.

Songs of Black pride are one way to counteract the negative connotations of the color "black" and the low self-esteem and low group esteem that many Black skin and dark skin people feel. Here are a few songs about Black pride.

VIDEOS
Video #1: Kofi -- Brown Sugar -"Black Pride"
This video is found at the top of the page.

Here's an excerpt from the comments written by that video's uploader:
"Kofi -- Brown Sugar they topped the reggae charts in 1977 three girls with talent from south London. They formed a singing group while in their mid teens and were recommended to Dennis Harris at that time (mid late 1970s) Dennis was the owner operator of the Lover's Rock label straight outta Brockley, London SE4 United Kingdom...".

Lyrics to "Black Pride" *
(as sung by Kofi-Brown Sugar)

Verse 1
Yeah Yeah Oooh
Black is the color of my skin
Black is the life that I live.
And I’m so proud to be
the color that God made me
I just got to say

Chorus:
Black is my color, yeah
[Black pride for all to see]
Wouldn’t be any other
[Oh no. I must be me.]
I said Black is my color, yeah
[Black pride for all to see]
Wouldn’t be any other. No No No
[Oh no. I must be me.]

Verse 2
Brown is the color of my eyes.
I’ve got no reason to disguise.
Black is the pride in me.
All of the world to see.
I just got to say

Chorus

Yeah Yeah Woo ooh

Verse 3
Black is the pride in me.
All of the world to see
I just got to say

Chorus [repeat multiple times]
-transcribed from the video by Azizi Powell

Please send in any corrections to this transcription.

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Video #2: james brown,say it loud i'm black and i'm proud

Uploaded by crabby68 on Jan 12, 2007
james brown doin what he does best.

-snip-
Click http://artists.letssingit.com/james-brown-lyrics-say-it-loud-im-black-an... for the lyrics to this song.

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Video #3: Nina Simone - To Be Young, Gifted and Black

Uploaded by NinaFestival on Aug 16, 2010
Harlem Cultural Festival 1969

Click http://www.lyricsfreak.com/n/nina+simone/to+be+young+gifted+black_201005... for the lyrics to this song.

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Video #4: Curtis Mayfield & The Impressions - We're a Winner

Uploaded by thepowderedclouds on Jul 26, 2008
Title track from the 1968 Album.

Click http://www.metrolyrics.com/were-a-winner-lyrics-curtis-mayfield.html for lyrics to this song.

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NOTES:
*Click http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Madonna for an article about Black Madonnas

** Click http://civilliberty.about.com/od/raceequalopportunity/g/inst_racism.htm for a definition of "institutional racism".

** Click http://racerelations.about.com/od/understandingrac1/g/definitionofcolori... for a definition of "colorism".

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