To_Be_Young,_Gifted_and_Black
To Be Young, Gifted and Black
1970 song by Nina Simone
"To Be Young, Gifted and Black" is a song by Nina Simone with lyrics by Weldon Irvine. Simone introduced the song on August 17, 1969, to a crowd of 50,000 at the Harlem Cultural Festival, captured on broadcast video tape and released in 2021 as the documentary film Summer of Soul.[1][2] Two months later, she recorded the song as part of her concert at Philharmonic Hall, a performance that resulted in her live album Black Gold (1970). Released as a single, it peaked at number 8 on the R&B chart and number 76 on the Hot 100 in January 1970.[3] A cover version by Jamaican duo Bob and Marcia reached number 5 in the UK Singles Chart in 1970.[4]
The title of the song comes from Lorraine Hansberry's autobiographical play, To Be Young, Gifted and Black.[5][6] The song is considered an anthem of the Civil Rights Movement.[7]