ella josephine baker

ella baker foi uma das mais importantes vozes na luta pela liberdade nos estados unidos.
uma longa vida de 83 anos (morreu no dia em que fazia anos...) de lutas.
um exemplo para todos. mulheres ou homens, brancos ou negros.


bernice johnson reagon é, ainda hoje, um dos seus mais eminentes legados.
com uma obra tão variada como notável, bernice tem, com os sweet honey in rock, uma das suas obras mais visiveis internacionalmente.

esta é a sua homenagem a ella baker:

sweet honey in rock, ella's song


we who believe in freedom cannot rest
we who believe in freedom cannot rest until it comes
until the killing of black men, black mothers’ sons
is as important as the killing of white men, white mothers’ sons
and that which touches we most is that i had a chance to work with people
passing on to others that which was passed on to me
to me young people come first, they have the courage where we fail
and if i can shed some light as they carry us through the gale
the older i get the better i know that the secret of my going on
is when the reins are in the hand of the young who dare to run against the storm
not needing to clutch for power, not needing the light just to shine on me
i need to be just one in the number as we stand against tyranny
struggling myself don’t mean a whole lot i come to realize
that teaching others to stand up and fight is the only way my struggle survive
i’m a woman who speaks in a voice and i must be heard
at time i can be quite difficult, i’ll bow to no man’s word

e aqui a jovem bernice num famoso programa de (e com) pete seeger:

bernice johnson reagon - will the circle be unbroken