Our Life

Our life is different from yours

Our life has suffrage

They say we’ve caused many wars

Is that why we’re punished and beaten?

Our life is simple, not grand

Just like yours, no difference

All we need is a helping hand

To guide our way through the darkness.

Our life all we’ve seen is pain

The disaster from our master

We work all day, even through the rain

We have grace, but still manage to have rhythm.

Our life we’ve been insulted far too long

They call us blacks, Negroes, niggers

But, our voices will rise up in song

For we will no longer obey you

Our life is not a tragedy after all

Through the Civil War we will overcome

We’ll break through the brick wall

And become free as one.

Our life helped the nation become whole

We helped define the United States

We helped her get some soul

And, we helped make what we today call freedom.