Quotations and Literature Forum

"We ask you to help us work for that day when black will not be asked to get in back, when brown can stick around, when yellow will be mellow, when the red man can get ahead, man, and when white will embrace what is right,” Lowery, 87, prayed ...

Is this an original from Rev. Lowery or is anyone aware of its origin?

Thanks.

It appears to be original to him.

I think it is a line from a popular 1960's civil rights marching song ( though I do not know the name of the song).

Well the opening is from "Lift Every Voice and Sing" a poem by James Weldon Johnson (1871–1938) and that is what illuminates the meaning of the entire benediction.

The end is from the civil rights movement of years ago. Rev Lowery marched with King and for desegregation and civil rights. I've never seen it in print but I've heard it or lines from it many times.

I took those closing words as a victory statement. As a reminder of what was and what has been achieved.