I
AM BLACK
NOT
ONLY AS A COLOUR
BUT
AS A RACE
I
COME IN DIFFERENT SHADES
JET
BLACK, MAHOGONY, CARAMEL, GALAXY AND EVEN TOFFEE BROWN
MY
COLOUR IS NOT ALIEN
NOR
DOES IT LOWER MY STATUE AS A HUMAN BEING
I
EAT THE SAME MOUTH-WATERING AND SUCCULENT MEALS AS YOU
THE
SAME RED BLOOD COURSES THROUGH OUR VEINS
I
AM BLACK
THIS
IS NEITHER A TITLE NOR A PROCLAMATION
THIS
IS A FACT
A
FACT WITH A STORY
A
STORY THAT HAS BEEN CIRCULATING THROUGH THE UNDERBELLY OF HISTORY
BURSTING
TO REVEAL ITSELF AND ALL ITS SECRETS
WHERE
SHOULD WE START
WE
ARE NOT JUST A COLOUR
WE
ARE A PEOPLE
WE
ARE A UNITED FRONT
BUT
INDIVIDUALLY WE STAND FIRM AS AN OAK TREE
NOT
PHAZED BY THE MAYHEM AND CONSTANT BOMBARDMENT THIS WORLD HAS TO OFFER
ALL
THESE YEARS OF SLAVERY AND OPPRESSION HAS NOT TARNISHED OUR FLAWLESS LOVE AND
DEVOTION TOWARDS OUR SKIN COLOUR
DAY
BY DAY WE STRUGGLED
BUT
OUR FAITH IN GOD NEVER FAILED
THE
GREAT LEGENDS THAT BECAME MARTYRS
THEIR
NAMES DEEPLY IMPLANTED IN OUR HISTORY
LIKES
OF MALCOLM X, MLK JNR, JESSE OWENS, MARCUS GARVEY AND THE LIST IS EVER GROWING
THEY
SMASHED THE CHAINS THAT WERE HOLDING US BACK
AND
OPEN THE PATHWAY FOR OUR NEXT GENERATION TO PROSPER
YES
I AM BLACK
OR
SHOULD I SAY …
YES
WE ARE BLACK
BUT
BLACK DOES NOT STAND ALONE
JUST
AS BLACK IS CONJURED UP BY A MIXTURE OF DIFFERENT COLOURS
SO
IS THE PLANET WE CALL EARTH
WHICH
FROM SPACE
RESEMBLES
AN ARTIST’S PAINT PALLET
A
COMBINATION OF VARIOUS COLOURS
WITH
ALL THEIR MOLECULES JOINING TOGETHER
TO
FORM THE MAGNIFICENT SPECTACLE WE LIVE IN
SO
INDEED WE ARE BLACK
AND
OUR HISTORY TELLS A STORY
BUT
IT DOES NOT DEFINE US
JUST
AS WTHIN THE COLOUR SPECTRUM NO COLOUR STANDS ALONE
NEITHER
SHALL THESE BEINGS BASKED IN THIS BEAUTIFULL BLACK SKIN BE LONELY ISLANDS
WE MUST THEN EMBRACE THE FLURRY OF COLOURS
THAT WE ARE BLESSED WITH
FOR
IT IS THIS INTRICATE FUSION THAT CREATED SUCH NATURAL BEAUTY
OF
THE NATIONS PROUD COLOURS
AS
A MIRAGE OF A GLISTENING RAINBOW
BUT
TAKE HEED OF ONE CRUCIAL FACT
WE
WILL
ALWAYS BE PROUD TO PROCLAIM
TO
THE HEAVENS
AND
TO ALL
THAT
WE ARE BLACK!
