And how is it that the American negro
Who for so long has been a second-class citizen in the United States
How is it that he contributed so much to the American culture?
Well
I would say that unquestionably, I am an American
Born there, and my father slaved there
Upon the backs of my people was developed the primary wealth of America
♪
Just put it another way
We wanna be full citizens
First class not second class
♪
We are of one mind on this
We want our freedom
We want our freedom
♪
The Africans and the American negro
Have turned out to be an extraordinary-gifted people
Great heroes
♪
Just like the Scottish-American is proud of being from Scotland
I'm proud of being African
And in our schoolbooks, they try to tell me that "All Africans were savages"
'Til I got demoted and found mostly Africans aren't even allowed to Oxford and Kings
Which you know very well
And uh, and learn their culture
They're heroes of our people
So I would say today
That I am an American who is infinitely prouder to be of African descent
No question about it
I am an African-American
And I don't need to hear Americans ever loosely again