Nina to Colin

Nina Simone’s performance of “Mississippi Goddam” was one like no other. In a period in America when Jim Crow prevailed and ruled all, Nina decided to come fourth and say what all African Americans wanted to say, “Mississippi Goddam”. She was up on that stage representing all her people, and letting that pain be felt. This was said and performed in front of a white audience in a time that cussing was really frowned upon. For the white people in the audience, her frustrations and pain must have gotten thru to them. When watching the tape of her performance, I got goosebumps. For her, it was more than just a song and a performance. She was venting! She was letting everything from her daily struggles off her chest and she was making those people in the audience feel her pain; especially the white people who were not going thru it! I find her courage to speak out so inspiring! It’s almost as history repeats itself, because we are in a time right now where Colin Kaepernick has just recently risked everything to take a stand in what he believes in. In recent history, Muhammad Ali was not afraid to speak out and against the injustices that he saw in his everyday life, and that even caused him to convert to the nation of Islam. I love that as a young Black American, my people have a rich history of standing strong against the injustices that we face on a daily. For me, when I’m going thru a small problem, I always get to look back on what my people have done when they were faced with all the problems that we are. My people never give up, and keep it pushing in attempt to head in a better direction. The thought of this always helps me out in life, and it is all because of strong people like Nina Simone’s will to speak out!