You Don't have to Ride Jim Crow

from Bayard Rustin: The Man Behind the Dream by World House Choir & Cincinnati Singing Friends

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lyrics

You don't have to ride Jim Crow.
No, you don’t have to ride Jim Crow.
On June the third, the high court said
“When you ride interstate, Jim Crow is dead”
You don’t have to ride Jim Crow.

And when you get on the bus
And when you get on the bus
And when you get on the bus
And when you get on, get on the bus,
Sit any place, ‘cause Irene Morgan won her case.
You don’t have to ride Jim Crow.

Now you can sit anywhere)
Now you can sit anywhere.
Now you can sit anywhere.
Sit anywhere. Don’t make no fuss,
You cause is just.
You don’t have to ride Jim Crow.

And if the driver man says “Move!”
And if the driver man says “Move!”
If th’ driver say “Move”, speak up polite
But sit there tight, ‘cause you’re in the right,
You don’t have to ride Jim Crow.

You don’t have to ride Jim Crow.
You don’t have to ride that Jim Crow line!
No, you don’t have to ride Jim Crow.
You don’t have to ride that Jim Crow line!
Go quiet like if you face arrest,
N.A.A.C.P. will make that test!
You don’t have to ride Jim Crow.

Free at last! Free at last!
Thank God Almighty we’re free at last!
And someday we’ll all be free!
Yes, someday we’ll all be free!

When united action turns the tide
And black and white sit side by side,
Yes, someday we’ll all be free
We’ll be free!

credits

from Bayard Rustin: The Man Behind the Dream, released January 20, 2019
SATB Choir
Music: Traditional Spiritual/Protest Song arr. Steve Milloy
Lyrics: Bayard Rustin quotes