Mississippi Goddam

Mississippi Goddam was the first Civil Rights/protest song by Nina Simone. Using the form of a showtune, the song is actually a scathing attack on the United States and a great example of black feminist nationalism. First performed live at a show with a mostly white audience, Nina urged the audience to participate, and jokes with them before the song takes a shocking twist by attacking the white establishment and the Southern states that resisted civil rights progress in every way possible. In the lyrics of the song, Nina Simones sung, Alabamas got me so upset, Tennessees made me lose my rest, but everybody knows about Mississippi Goddam, which meant that Mississippi was the toughest egg to crack in terms of ending Jim Crow and white supremacy.

What I love so much about the song are the fiercely critical lyrics and defiant tone, which demands civil rights now instead of the gradualism of white moderates. Inspired to write the song by the murder of Medgar Evers and the bombing of a black church in Alabama by white supremacists, which caused the deaths of four young girls. Throughout the song she challenges white folks, promises retribution for the injustices occurring in the South, and even rejects the integration sought by black moderate organizations. Indeed, as early as 1964, Simone was looking toward black power and nationalism before the ascent of the Black Power Movement in the late 1960s.

In addition to using her public performing to challenge white racism in concert, she also performed numerous benefit shows for civil rights organizations like SNCC. Moreover, Simone also went down South to participate in actions and play shows for civil rights demonstrators in Selma. This woman was involved in the movement on multiple levels, embracing black cultural nationalism and feminism when she performed other songs like Go Limp (a sarcastic song poking fun at nonviolent protest), Four Women, and To Be Young, Gifted and Black.

The zenith of Mississippi Goddam is the following lines, rejecting the gradual approach to civil rights the federal government and whites tried to impose on black agitators and activists:
Oh but this whole country is full of lies
You're all gonna die and die like flies
I don't trust you any more
You keep on saying "Go slow!"
"Go slow!"
But that's just the trouble
"do it slow"
Desegregation
"do it slow"
Mass participation
"do it slow"
Reunification
"do it slow"
Do things gradually
"do it slow"
But bring more tragedy
"do it slow"
Why don't you see it
Why don't you feel it
I don't know
I don't know
You don't have to live next to me
Just give me my equality
Everybody knows about Mississippi
Everybody knows about Alabama
Everybody knows about Mississippi Goddam

You dont have to live next to me, just give me my equality! Preach, Sista, preach.