Dear Ruby,
Black people black marching sayin they want a change
Whites folks lettin go of chains
Dogs runnin and bitin with the chains on their neck slashin at these ol’ sweet people
Did you hear about the girls on that faithful day?
We became friends and promised to stay tight til’ the end
Addie Mae is all I could scream on that terrible day
When the church on 16th street Baptist church exploded
She was the youngest, nun but eleven
Can you believe it?
MJK was what my mother use to mutter
I’d say who is that and she would stutter
Martin Luther King, baby don’t you remember
Don’t you remember what y’all daddy use to say
He was to be marchin with that man someday
Segregation, yeah I know it’s a big word
Do you know what it means?
We are separatin’ but not by choice
Yeah it’s the black and whites fightin
They call me a n**** when I walked on by
Have you eva heard of the Klu Klux Klan?
Its white people burinin the cross Jesus use to lay across
These white folks crazy nothin’ like New York
Can you see I am talkin like ‘em now?
But me and momma will always be from New York
Ruby I miss you and at least we had a lil’ freedom
You write back and pray we live
Cause momma told me the Klu Klux Klan comin for us next
Please write back you hear
P.S. Don’t remember how they called you honey and me pie
Love Mary Lou