I Am Black Chicago by Harold Lee Rush I am Black Chicago Who walks around all day with nothing on but

Born on the southside W-V-O-N Flavored with the west-side the voice of the negro/nation Footprints on the north side Gwen Brooks sprang from the breast of us A Provident baby Harold Washington spoke to the best in us Delivered by dr steptoe the policy kings organized the rest of us Went to school in a willis wagon and the mobs have truly tested us And 6 or 7 grammar schools tried to turn our heroes into dust to dust From shoop to burnside to lewis-champlain stole our history-left us pixie dust Hung out at the YMCA but they never really busted us Learned to shoot pool at the BBF where we used to own the vote Got fifty-leven cousins all over Chi-town where we used to hold the note Some of them were the true OGBs where we used to sail our boat (original gang-bangers, back in the day) where we put fur to coat growing up Black in Chicago I am Black Chicago I know what it meant Africa was my mother To get out of cicero before dark DuSable was my father To get off the L downtown I have family all over america And have the po-leece jack you up And you may even be kin to me I remember when we couldnt go to This is where Charlie chewed Marshall Fields, Carson Pirie Scott or Sears & Roebuck Where Nat Cole kinged I laughed my troubles away at Riverview Where Joe Louis scronched (way before Go Cart Land & Fun Town) Where Lena horned and Billie holidaid listened to the poets and drummers Where Ernie banked as they Pointed to the Afro-Arts Where Oscar browned before there was Earth, Wind and Fire Where Jerry butlered there was Artistic Heritage Ensemble Where the Duke was earled when Amazon and Hiddekel were learning how to braid Where Yvonne danieled when Darlene Blackburn was just starting to dance And the Chi-Lites seen her when OBASI came on the scene Where engle wooded when the Bud Billiken Parade was Black folks Where princeton parked (and mickey mouse wouldnt be caught dead in washington park) Where chester fielded and blue lights in the basement quarter parties Where rose landed is where I first learned how to grind Where cottage groved and got fonky with James Browns cold sweat Where altgeld gardened drinking white port and kool-aid Where spooks sit by the door smokin reefer and doo-whoppin under the viaduct And Pervis dont want to talk to no mens going to Lems for some tips at 2AM I am Black Chicago and throwing up at 4 From the lakefront all the way to ford city being gouster or ivy league From heavenston down to cal city working at 63rd and halsted From maywood to blue island sneaking in the show Thats me in gary and over in k-town puttin balloons on the spokes of our bikes This is where freedom rang and riding up and down the ramps When Mahalia sang of the dan ryan before it opened Where GoodFellows clubbed seeing the 5 Stairsteps beat the Jackson 5 And schoolteachers subbed at the Regal Theatre talent shows Where thousands have passed thru the cook county jail ditching classes by hiding out in the oldest parts And the almighty hawks told many a tale of the castle of Englewood Where Dr Margaret told us children we were Black And carried a whole museum on her back I am Black Chicago Im the projects and the Globetrotters Where Soul Train started Im baptist and catholic and santified Where Chaka Kanye West come from And the Nation of Islam Where Quincy Jones sat at the feet of the elders I am the center of Chicago In Bronzevilles international music colleges And the soul of your life Where you can jet to ebony to defend her I am Black Chicago HAROLDLEERUSH.COM 2006