The opportunities are endless, the potentiality is limitless, but why must it be stolen? Why must it be robbed from us, our brothers and our sisters at every turn? Too many futures and lives have been stolen for no just cause. We have proven our brilliance time and time again yet it has been a fight for recognition and for releasing the ceiling capping the magic that we possess.
Your music had become the anthems of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s. Your voice through your music spoke too loudly to the truth being black nets us. Too many wanted for you to play the piano, sing a little tune and then just shut the hell up. That was not going to happen.
Mississippi Goddam was banned from getting radio play in the South for your expression towards racism. With the creation of your song to be young, gifted, and black, written in memory of your late friend Larraine Hansberry, came further the banning of your music. A love letter to our black youth was a big no-no. Our children were not allowed a song teaching self-love. We were not allowed to hear the truth of how magnificent we were.
The energy these anthems brought to the Civil rights Movement caused many to disapprove of your musical career, seeing your involvement having been done in bad taste. Your career at that point had suffered greatly causing your hiatus to Europe where you remained until the 1980s when your music career made a reappearance. If standing your ground in Black People having rights meant losing your music career, you proved that you would just have to lose your career. Nearly identical to Colin Kaepernick and what his stand to systemic racism cost him, it cost you all of what it means to be young, gifted, and black.
Your voice sings to us today and tomorrow,
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 was a billion boys and girls Who are young, gifted and black And that's a fact!
Sincerely,
Kayla Mary Jane