Nina Simone - Young Gifted And Black

To be Young, Gifted and Black was written 1969 Nina Simone and Weldon Irvine, Jr., but it was inspired by Lorraine Hansberry's play with the same title.

"To be Young, Gifted and Black" was a song I use to play alot while growing up, many people have said the song was racist!In truth the song is not racist but reflected a genuine interest in uplifting through music black young children in the 60's who often felt bad the color of there skin something that white children did not feel. It should be a song for any onw white or black who suffers for being a minority. If I were an Armenian in Turkey I could say to be young gifted and Armenian, or after the Holocaust I coul see these lyrics being sung by poor Jewish chidlren as well.
-Richie




To be young, gifted and black,
Oh what a lovely precious dream
To be young, gifted and black,
Open your heart to what I mean

In the whole world you know
There are billion boys and girls
Who are young, gifted and black,
And that's a fact!

Young, gifted and black
We must begin to tell our young
There's a world waiting for you
This is a quest that's just begun

When you feel really low
Yeah, there's a great truth you should know
When you're young, gifted and black
Your soul's intact

Young, gifted and black
How I long to know the truth
There are times when I look back
And I am haunted by my youth

Oh but my joy of today
Is that we can all be proud to say
To be young, gifted and black
Is where it's at