THE BLOOD OF A THOUSAND FIELD NEGROES RAN THROUGH THEIR VEINS

THEY HAD REBELLION AND REVOLUTION TATTOOED ON THEIR BRAINS

THEY WERE HELL-BENT ON CHANGE, THOUGH THEIR METHODS WEREN'T THE SAME

WHETHER VIOLENT OR NONVIOLENT, I'M JUST GLAD THAT THEY CAME

SOME FOUGHT WITH THEIR FISTS, THEIR GUNS, THEIR SPEARS

SOME USED PEN AND PAPER OR PUT WORDS IN OUR EARS

SOME WENT THROUGH THE COURTS OR INSPIRED A COUP

SOME GAVE THEIR LIVES AND DIED FOR THE TRUTH

SOME WERE BEATEN, ROBBED, OR RAPED

WHILE OTHERS WERE FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO ESCAPE

SOME WENT TO JAIL AND LANGUISHED IN PRISON

CAUGHT UP IN THE HELLS OF AN UNJUST SYSTEM

SOME WERE PERSECUTED ALL OF THEIR DAYS

SOME WERE TORTURED, SOME WERE BETRAYED

SOME WENT INTO EXILE AND SOME WERE DEPORTED

VICTIMS OF A HISTORY GROSSLY DISTORTED

SOME WERE LIED ON, OTHERS WERE SPIED ON

BUT ALL WERE MUCH TOO HEAVILY RELIED ON

SOMETIMES I WISH I COULD'VE GONE IN THEIR PLACES

AND TOOK THOSE BULLETS THAT BROUGHT TEARS TO OUR FACES

OR HUNG FROM THE ROPE THAT NAT TURNER HUNG ON

BUT I'M THANKFUL TO GOD THAT THEIR STORIES LIVE ON

AND PROVIDE INSPIRATION TO MILLIONS OF PEOPLE

STILL STRUGGLING IN LANDS THAT ARE SEPARATE AND UNEQUAL

PEACE TO ALL THE REVOLUTIONARIES THAT DIED TO BRING CHANGE

I PRAY THAT GOD PUTS THEIR BLOOD IN OUR VEINS