Martin Delaney was a knight for human rights,
An abolitionist warrior in the anti-slavery fight.
He ran the underground railroad in the shadows of Fort Pitt,
An African-American to be reckoned with.
A doctor, a writer, an organizer of slaves,
A man way ahead of his days.
A black beacon light blazing the dawn,
Martin Delaney your cause carries on.
At the age of nineteen, he settled on the Hill
Near St. Benedict the Moor, a place called Arthurville.
“The Mystery” newspaper was his weapon of choice,
The only one in the Burgh that gave the black slave a voice.
On the breeze of resistance, on the winds of liberty,
He would settle for only total equality.
He lived several lifetimes all rolled into one.
Martin Delaney, your cause carries on.
In 1850, the masters up the attack,
Passed a new law, the “Fugitive Slave Act.”
Said they would round up both runaway and free.
At a Market Street House rally, Martin got up to speak.
He said, ‘my home is a castle for me, my children and wife,
‘I'll defend it if I have to take a life.
‘It could be the President of the United States,
‘If he crosses that line he will meet the same fate.’
He continued the fight for the rest of his life,
Helping John Brown, Frederick Douglas by his side.
And when the civil war broke out, he didn’t run and hide;
He became the first black officer to join the union’s side.
On the breeze of resistance, on the winds of liberty,
He would settle for only total equality.
He lived several lifetimes all rolled into one.
Martin Delaney, your cause carries on.
Martin Delaney, your cause carries on.
An abolitionist warrior in the anti-slavery fight.
He ran the underground railroad in the shadows of Fort Pitt,
An African-American to be reckoned with.
A doctor, a writer, an organizer of slaves,
A man way ahead of his days.
A black beacon light blazing the dawn,
Martin Delaney your cause carries on.
At the age of nineteen, he settled on the Hill
Near St. Benedict the Moor, a place called Arthurville.
“The Mystery” newspaper was his weapon of choice,
The only one in the Burgh that gave the black slave a voice.
On the breeze of resistance, on the winds of liberty,
He would settle for only total equality.
He lived several lifetimes all rolled into one.
Martin Delaney, your cause carries on.
In 1850, the masters up the attack,
Passed a new law, the “Fugitive Slave Act.”
Said they would round up both runaway and free.
At a Market Street House rally, Martin got up to speak.
He said, ‘my home is a castle for me, my children and wife,
‘I'll defend it if I have to take a life.
‘It could be the President of the United States,
‘If he crosses that line he will meet the same fate.’
He continued the fight for the rest of his life,
Helping John Brown, Frederick Douglas by his side.
And when the civil war broke out, he didn’t run and hide;
He became the first black officer to join the union’s side.
On the breeze of resistance, on the winds of liberty,
He would settle for only total equality.
He lived several lifetimes all rolled into one.
Martin Delaney, your cause carries on.
Martin Delaney, your cause carries on.
Contributed by giorgio - 2009/11/26 - 08:14
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Lyrics & Music by: C. Michael Stout
Album: The Point of Pittsburgh
The story of abolitionist leader and renaissance man Martin Delaney