Edited by Azizi Powell
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.
The content of this post is presented for its motivational, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
FEATURED VIDEOS
(These videos are presented in no order of preference.)
Video #1: Kofi -- Brown Sugar -"Black Pride"
Uploaded by max1xxx on Jul 21, 2010
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-and-im-proud-pt-1-5w39354 for the lyrics to this song.
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Video #3:Nina Simone - To Be Young Gifted and Black מתורגם
אתיופים מאוחדים בע"מ Published on Feb 13, 2014
-snip-
Google translate of אתיופים מאוחדים בע"מ from Hebrew to English = Ethiopian Consolidated Ltd.
-snip-
Click http://www.lyricsfreak.com/n/nina+simone/to+be+young+gifted+black_20100554.html for 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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Video #5: Bob Marley - Buffalo soldier
Pgroenberg, Uploaded on Apr 23, 2008
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Video #6: Sesame Street: Song -- I Love My Hair
SesameStreet, Uploaded on Oct 12, 2010
Sing along and make the world aware that YOU love your hair!
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Video #7: Buju Banton - African Pride
VeryPalpableHit, Uploaded on Nov 4, 2007
A mix of clips I put together set to Buju Banton's song, African Pride, off of his 1997 album, Inna Heights.
LYRICS: AFRICAN PRIDE
(Writer(s): Writer(s): MARSDEN, STEVEN / DUNBAR, LOWELL / DENNIS, DONALD / MYRIE, MARK / GERMAIN, DONOVAN
Thou we struggle
Jah is the ruler and protector of I & I life
All man a bawl (Eh!)
(Ethiopia) Africans with African pride
(Somalia) Fighting to attain our rights
Want no more shedding of blood
For our nation to move forward
(Mozambique) Africans with African pride
(Zambia) Fighting to attain our rights
Want no more shedding of blood
For dis nation to move forward
What make we can't all unite
Put each man difference aside
Why can't we just come together
Cease from tribal wars and fight
Who knows better must do better
A source of collective insight
May not be exposed to education
But surely knows wrong from right
(Nigeria) Africans with African pride
(Ghana) Fighting to attain our rights
Want no more shedding of blood
For dis nation to move forward
(Zimbabwe) Africans with African pride
(Zaire) Fighting to attain our rights
Want no more shedding of blood
For dis nation to move forward
Self help with inner motivation
Teach I to be self sufficient
don't want to depend on no one
For attainment of my bread
Oh these words
Oh my calling
Children crying white squall tears
Hunger rampant harvest plenty (ooohwe, whoa)
(Senegal) Africans with African pride
(South Africa) Fighting to attain our rights
Want no more shedding of blood
For any nation to move forward
(Ethiopia) Africans with African pride
(Somalia) Fighting to attain our rights
(oh oh oh oh oh oh oh)
(oh oh oh oh oh oh)
(Unde-lay, Unde-lay, Unde-lay, uh lay lay woi)
(Unde-lay, Unde-lay, Unde-lay, uh lay lay woi)
(Woi)
(Freedom) free Africa
A free free Africa
(Freedom) free Africa
A free indi-Africa
(Freedom) free Africa
Di whole entire Africa
(Freedom) free Africa (Whoa, woy-yo)
(Botswana) Africans with African pride
(Cameroon) Fighting to attain our rights
Want no more shedding of blood
For dis nation to move forward
(Angola) Africans with African pride
(Namibia) Fighting to attain our rights
Want no more shedding of blood
For dis nation to move forward
What make we can't all unite
Put each man difference aside
Why can't we just come together
Cease dis tribal war and fight
Who knows better must do better
A source of collective insight
May not be exposed to education
But surely knows wrong from right
(Algeria) Africans with African pride
(Mali) Fighting to attain our rights
Want no more shedding of blood
For dis nation to move forward
(Benin) Africans with African pride
(Burundi) Fighting to attain our rights
Want no more shedding of blood
For dis nation to move forward
Want no more shedding of blood
For dis nation to move forward
Want no more shedding of blood
For dis nation to move forward
Want no more shedding of blood
For dis nation to move forward
Want no more shedding of blood
For dis nation to move forward
http://www.lyrics007.com/Buju%20Banton%20Lyrics/African%20Pride%20Lyrics.html
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RELATED LINKS
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/definitionofcolorism.htm for a definition of "colorism".
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND THANKS
Thanks to the composers, performers, and uploaders of these videos.
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Viewer comments are welcome.
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