Young! Gifted! Black! [my SAS, BHM 2023 Chapel Reflection]
Have you heard of Lorraine Hansberry, the activist, accomplished playwright, and author of A Raisin in the Sun? She was the first African American woman to produce a play on Broadway, and Hansberry was the first Black and youngest American playwright at the age of 29 to win a New York Critics’ Circle award.
Hansberry coined the phrase “To be young gifted, and black.” The phrase actually comes from her speech entitled “The Nation Needs Your Gifts,” she delivered these words in May 1964 to the winners of the Readers Digest/United Negro College Fund creative writing contest.
“Though it is a thrilling and marvelous thing to be merely young and gifted in such times, it is doubly so, doubly dynamic — to be young, gifted, and black.”
By January 1965, Hansberry lost her battle with pancreatic Cancer at 35 years old.
Nina Simone, the “High Priestess of Soul,” was a singer, pianist, songwriter, and civil rights activist. She introduced the song “To Be Young, Gifted and Black” at the Harlem Cultural Festival in 1969 in memory of the late playwright, who was also her good friend. The song was meant to serve as a beacon of light amid the bloody struggles of the civil rights movement. These words were the soundtrack of my parents’ lives and the distinctive ethos of my childhood.
Today these words remind me of my ancestor’s sacrifices, and they propel me toward a promising future. These memorable lyrics grant me the freedom to embrace my talents and shine even when– or better yet– others like me are struck down or turned away.
“Young, gifted, and black.
Oh, what a lovely precious dream.
To be young, gifted, and black.
Open your heart to what I mean.”
“Young—Gifted —Black,” these three adjectives, when declared aloud, are the epitome of “Black Pride.” They memorialize the sentiment of an important historical moment while simultaneously telegraphing a message of inspiration to each of us here today.
For me, the pride I feel seems both genetic and cultivated. The message of inspiration lights the path on my journey to my destiny. I was raised on it— nurtured in such a way— that I never back down from shining as bright as I can.
I have been blessed with parents who poured into me everything they felt would help me to be a happy, creative, independent-thinking, and self-sufficient human being. These lessons weren’t always delivered through their words but through their actions. They showed me, I am enough, I have good inside, I am worthy, and I have gifts to share. My parents centered the language of creative expression within me through my passion for instrumental music, singing, and visual arts. I have developed many talents and skills into gifts that feed my soul and inspire my thinking.
Upon reflection, I’ve asked myself what’s so special about being young, gifted, and Black in 2023. Well, I believe it is REVOLUTIONARY to embrace the intersection of my identities while I see yours. I believe it is REVOLUTIONARY to center my creative abilities while encouraging you to center yours. I believe it is REVOLUTIONARY for you to see my Black Pride as your strength. My genetic and curated feeling of Black Pride has arrived on the planet in a place and at a time where more of us are demanding that “more perfect union.” Being in community with YOU, as a fully seen, heard, and respected human being, is the REVOLUTION. Being in COLLABORATION with you here and now and having a GROWTH MINDSET instead of one that’s FIXED will influence how we will approach just about everything in our future.
This phrase has inspired generations of Black youth to chase after their dreams and to be proud to shine as brightly as they can. Yet, I see each of us- each of you, differences aside, opening our hearts to the lesson in Lorraine Hansberry’s message… “Our Nation [really] Needs [all of] Our Gifts”.
As young adults, we must courageously share our gifts, whatever they may be, with the world. Furthermore, we must nurture our gifts, using them to feed our souls and inspire our thinking and that of others. We have a chance at a better future together. So today, I AM granting you permission to see me as YOUNG, GIFTED, and BLACK while you allow me to see ALL OF WHO YOU ARE – together, here at St. Andrew’s, we can rehearse what it’s like for us all to be fully seen, fully heard and fully human.
As a generation, we have the ability to make and inspire so much change just by sharing the things we love and realizing that granting humanity to each other makes each of us stronger.
So stand up, stand tall, stand proud, and shine bright.
That’s what “To be young, gifted, and Black” means to me.
Aretha Franklin Young Gifted and Black https://youtu.be/oc7VJAhnxlc
“Though it is a thrilling and marvelous thing to be merely young and gifted in such times, it is doubly so, doubly dynamic — to be young, gifted and black.”
~ By Lorraine Hansberry, speech entitled “The Nation Needs Your Gifts,”
