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January 12, 1989 • Portland Observer • Page 13
"Then my livingwill not be in vain"
to feed the hu n g ry.
Every n o w and then I guess w e all th in k realistically abo ut
m y life to clo th e those w h o w ere naked.
I w a n t you to say on th a t day th a t I did try in m y life to
th a t day w hen w e w ill be victim ized w ith w h a t is life 's final
co m m o n d e n o m in a to r — th a t som ething w e call death.
visit those w h o w ere in prison.
W e all th in k abo ut it, and every n o w and then I th in k about
A nd every n o w and th e n I
ask m yself w h a t it is th a t I w o u ld w a n t said and I leave th e w o rd
to you th is m orn ing .
peace. I was a drum m ajor fo r righteousness.
A n d all o f the o th e r sh a llo w th in g s w ill n o t m a tte r.
I w o n 't have any m oney to leave behind. I w o n 't have th e
fine and lu xurious th in g s o f life to leave behind. B u t I just w a n t
If any o f you are around w hen I have to m eet m y day, I
d o n 't w a n t a long funeral.
A nd if you get som ebody to deliver the eulogy, tell him not
to leave a c o m m itte d life behind.
A n d th a t is all I w a n t to say.
to talk to o long.
A n d every n o w and then I w o n d e r w h a t I w a n t him to say.
That is n 't so im p o rta n t.
Tell him n o t to m ention th a t I have three or fo u r hundred
vain.
If I can do m y d u ty as a Christian o u g h t.
other aw ards — th a t's n o t im p o rta n t. Tell him n o t to m ention
If I can bring salvation to a w o rld once w ro u g h t.
If I can spread th e messages as th e m aster ta u g h t.
w here I w e n t to school.
I'd like som ebo dy to m ention th a t day th a t M artin Luther
Then m y living w ill n o t be in vain.
King Jr. tried to give his life serving others.
I'd like fo r som ebody to say th a t day th a t M a rtin Luther
February 1968
Ebenezer Baptist Church
Atlanta, Georgia
King Jr. tried to love som ebody.
I w a n t you to say th a t I tried to be rig h t on th e w ar
I w a n t you to be able to say th a t day th a t I did try
Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing
Lift ev'ry voice and sing
Till earth and heaven ring.
Ring w ith the harmonies of Liberty:
Let our rejoicing rise
High as the list'ning skies,
Let is resound loud as the rolling sea.
Sing a song full of the faith that the dark past has taught us
Sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us
Facing the rising sun o f our new day begun.
Let us march on till victory is won.
Hr
If I can help som ebo dy as I
pass along, if I can cheer som ebody w ith a song, if I can sh o w
som ebody he's trave lin g w ro n g , th e n m y livin g w ill n o t be in
Tell him n o t to m ention th a t I have a Nobel Peace Prize.
question.
A n d I w a n t you to say th a t •
tried to love and serve hu m a n ity.
Yes, if you w a n t to , say th a t I w as a d ru m m ajor. Say th a t
I w as a drum m ajor fo r ju stice . Say th a t I w a s a drum m ajor fo r
m y o w n death, and I th in k about m y o w n funeral. A n d I d o n 't
th in k a b o u t it in a m orb id sense.
I w a n t you to say th a t day th a t I d id try in
Stony the road we trod,
Bitter the chast'ning rod.
Felt in the days when hope unborn had died;
Yet w ith a steady beat
Have not our weary feet
Come to the place for which our fathers sighed?
We have come over a way that w ith tears has been
watered,
We have come, treading our path through the blood of
the slaughtered,
Out from the gloomy past,
Till now we stand at last
Where the w hite gleam of our bright star is cast.
God of our weary years,
God of our silent tears,
Thou who has brought us thus far on the way;
Thou who has by Thy might
Led us into the light.
Keep us forever in the path, we pray.
Lest our feet stray from the places, our God, where we
met Thee,
Lest our hearts, drunk w ith the wine of the world, we
forget Thee,
Shadowed beneath Thy hand,
May we forever stand.
True to our God
S
True to our native land.
i
Words by JAMES WELDON JOHNSON
Music by ROSAMOND JOHNSON
In Memory o f the Late
IR A D . MUMFORD