Civil rights are guaranteed for you and me,
But they did not come for free.
From the 13th Amendment, Abe Lincoln led the way,
So that Martin Luther King could make more progress at a later day.
Harriet Tubman, in the abolitionist days,
Risked her life to free many slaves.
Booker T. Washington and Mary McLeod Bethune
Demanded that equality in education begin real soon.
Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat and demanded equal rights
Because she thought it was unfair to only those who were white.
Nina Simone, a musician at heart
Fought for her rights when a scholarship denied her a start.
Let's not forget about Lena Horne,
African-American's wouldn't be movie-stars if she wasn't born.
Nelson Mandala, in another part of the world,
Watched as apartheid began to unfurl.
All of these heroes faced much conflict of opinion and opposition,
Socially, they were alienated and treated with derision.
But they all had a vision, they tried to impart
People should be treated as equals, we all have a heart
We are all people who love, and people who care
And people who want freedom we all can share.