Somebody We Will Miss A Lot

Jesse Jackson’s powerful appearance on Sesame Street has resurfaced after his death at age 84. The long-time civil rights leader and two-time presidential candidate died on Tuesday, Feb. 17, surrounded by family. As news of his death spread, so did a resurfaced clip of Jackson leading children in his iconic “I Am Somebody” chant during a 1972 appearance on Sesame Street. In the clip, he led young audience members in repeating phrases such as, “I may be poor. But I am somebody.” The chant stemmed from a poem Jackson published in 1970.

I am Somebody!
I am Somebody!
I may be poor,
But I am Somebody.
I may be young,
But I am Somebody.
I may be on welfare,
But I am Somebody.
I may be small,
But I am Somebody.
I may have made mistakes,
But I am Somebody.
My clothes are different,
My face is different,
My hair is different,
But I am Somebody.
I am black,
I am brown,

I am white,
I speak a different language
But I must be respected,
Protected,
Never rejected.
I am God’s child!