African-American, is not the description that I choose,
Not to say that this term is wrong for anyone use.
I’m black and in America, but America is also in me,
My ancestors are from Africa, but Africa has never seen me.
I’ve never walked in the mother land, or identified the tribe from which my people came,
The only thing I know is that it was my great, great granddaddy’s master that gave me this slave name.
My identity was born in this so-called land of the free,
Slavery has been long ended, but we’re still far from equality.
Segregated and punished for the color my skin happened to be,
As if I had a choice in the womb, of the pigment that would be given to me.
I’m playing the hand that I was so graciously dealt,
Because in spite of what anyone says, I still love myself.
Oh yeah, my skin makes me different, but it also makes me the same,
If you can’t see past my color, then you’re the one that should feel ashamed.
I don’t love you any less because of how you are bothered by my color,
Even though we have visible differences, you are still my sisters and my brothers.
I’m not trying to deny the black roots which run so deep on my family tree,
I’m just saying I’m American, cause Africa has never seen me.
See, I refuse to be in bondage, held captive by my race,
I am defined by who I am, and not the color of my face.
I’ve got a great history, with lots of experiences in my past,
Like growing up in poverty, without enough water to fill my glass.
Didn’t have money to buy new clothes, so I had to make the old ones last,
Couldn’t afford to electricity for the t.v., so we had to talk to make time pass.
Many times we didn’t enough food to eat three meals in just one day,
To you it sounds far-fetched, but to me it’s a game I was forced to play.
The only heritage I know was birthed on this American soil,
To get the rights I have today, many had to die and suffer great turmoil.
The reality is, that I am just as much American as you claim to be,
Cause it was my people that died while building this great country.
So when you put African in front of American, it’s really the opposite for me,
See, the truth of the matter is I’m American, because Africa has never seen me.