I Am Somebody

Long before the civil rights legislation of the 1960’s, there were countless men and women all across America from the time of slavery, reconstruction and Jim Crow that worked to bring about a positive change in everyday life.   Many worked tirelessly as advocates in their cities and communities to ensure equal rights and social justice.  This included lifting the human spirit, promoting fairness in housing, equal access to education, and pushing for employment opportunities.          

One such man was the late Reverend Dr. William Holmes Borders, Sr. (1905-1993), who was the pastor the Wheat Street Baptist Church, Atlanta from 1937 to 1988.  During his leadership he campaigned for numerous civic right causes including those for the poor and oppressed.  He was instrumental in the hiring of Atlanta’ first black police officers in the 1940’s, led campaigns to desegregate the public transportation system in the 1950’s, and established the first federally subsidized and church operated rental housing project in the 1960’s.   In addition, he led a voter registration drive in 1946 that generated 15,000 new black voters and was a charter member in the creation of the Progressive National Baptist Convention (PNBC) in 1961.  Throughout his career he spoke on issues of segregation, disfranchisement, wartime patriotism and had a weekly radio broadcast.       

This is quite amazing for a man born in Macon, GA and who attended Morehouse College with little to no money and then when on to attended Garrett Theological Seminary at Northwestern University, Evanston, IL.  However, one of his most remembered quotes of his continues to be a poem he wrote and recorded in the mid 1950’s that was entitled… “I Am Somebody.”   The Reverend Jesse Jackson and others have used Dr. Borders poem over the years as a basic throughout their careers to provide a voice, creed and affirmation for others to follow.   

The essences of the words are simple, but yet are powerful even today.  A small sample of what of that poem reflected was…“I Am – Somebody… I May Be Poor - But I Am Somebody… I May Be Young - But I Am Somebody…I May Be On Welfare - But I Am Somebody…I May Be Small - But I Am Somebody…I May Make A Mistake - But I Am Somebody….My Clothes Are Different…My Face Is Different…My Hair Is Different - But I Am Somebody…I Am Black – Brown – White…I Speak A Different Language…But I Must Be Respected, Protected.. Never Rejected, I Am God's Child… I Am Somebody.   

In the wake of Black History Month, perhaps that is where we need to start and take steps to reaffirm ourselves and know that we too… are somebody.  What do you say?