Black Man

"Black Man" was written about Wonder's desire for worldwide interracial harmony, and criticism of racism, as evidenced in earlier works such as "Living for the City". The lyrics referred prominently to Crispus Attucks, widely considered the first martyr of the American Revolution. Wonder deliberately chose this theme as the United States Bicentennial was underway at the time of recording.

The song uses color-based terminology; (i.e. black, red, yellow, white, brown) to describe different racial groups and although this language has become less acceptable culturally, these terms are mentioned below, as in the original form of the song, along with the activity for which the song holds each historical figure to be famous.

The opening verses refer to 12 people, or groups of people.

1)a black man, first man to die for the American flag (Crispus Attucks).
2)a redman, first people on American ground (Native American people).
3)a brown man, guide on the first Columbus trip (Pedro Alonso Niño).
4)the yellow man, laid tracks for railroads (Chinese workers).
5)a black man, first heart surgeon (Dr. Daniel Hale Williams).
6)a redman, helped pilgrims to survive at Plymouth (Squanto).
7)a brown man, leader for farm workers' rights (Cesar Chavez).
8)a white man, inventor of incandescent light bulb (Thomas Edison).
9)a black man, created first clock to be made in America (Benjamin Banneker).
10)a red woman, scout who helped lead Lewis and Clark expedition (Sacagawea).
11)a yellow man, pioneer of martial arts in America (Bruce Lee.)
12)a white man, Emancipation Proclamation (Abraham Lincoln.)

The second section is a call-and-response format, calling out 17 people.

1)Matthew Henson –a black man– first man to set foot on the North Pole.
2)Squanto –a redman– first American to show the pilgrims at Plymouth the secrets of survival in the New World.
3)Sing Kee –a yellow man– soldier of Company G who won high honors for extraordinary heroism in World War.
4)Cesar Chavez –a brown man– leader of United Farm Workers who helped farm workers maintain dignity and respect.
5)Dr. Charles Drew –a black man– founder of blood plasma and the director of the Red Cross blood bank.
6)Sacagawea –a red woman– great American heroine who aided the Lewis and Clark Expedition.
7)Hayakawa –a yellow man– famous educator and semanticist who made outstanding contributions to education in America.
8)Garrett Morgan –a black man– invented the world's first stop light and the gas mask.
9)Harvey William Cushing –a white man– American surgeon who was one of the founders of neurosurgery.
10)Benjamin Banneker –a black man– man who helped design the nation's capitol, made the first clock to give time in America and wrote the first almanac.
11)Hiawatha –a red man– legendary hero who helped establish the league of Iroquois.
12)Michio Kushi –a yellow man– leader of the first macrobiotic center in America.
13)Jean Baptiste –a black man– founder of the city of Chicago in 1772.
14)Dennis Banks –a red man– one of the organizers of the American Indian movement.
15)Luis de Santángel –a white man– Jewish financier who raised funds to sponsor Christopher Columbus' voyage to America.
16)Harriet Tubman –a black woman– woman who led countless slaves to freedom on the Underground Railroad.
17)T. J. Marshall –a black man– inventor of the fire extinguisher (barely heard during fadeout).

First man to die
For the flag we now hold high (Crispus Attucks)
Was a black man

The ground were we stand
With the flag held in our hand
Was first the redman's

Guide of a ship
On the first Columbus trip (Pedro Alonzo Nino)
Was a brown man

The railroads for trains
Came on tracking that was laid
By the yellow man

We pledge allegiance
All our lives
To the magic colors
Red, blue and white
But we all must be given
The liberty that we defend
For with justice not for all men
History will repeat again
It's time we learned
This World Was Made For All Men

Heart surgery
Was first done successfully
By a black man (Dr Daniel Hale Williams)

Friendly man who died
But helped the pilgrims to survive (Squanto)
Was a redman

Farm workers rights
Were lifted to new heights (Caesar Chavez)
By a brown man

Incandescent light Was invented to give sight (Thomas Edison)
By the white man

We pledge allegiance
All our lives
To the magic colors
Red, blue and white
But we all must be given
The liberty that we defend
For with justice not for all men
History will repeat again
It's time we learned
This World Was Made For All Men

Here me out...

Now I know the birthday of a nation
Is a time when a country celebrates
But as your hand touches your heart
Remember we all played a part in America
To help that banner wave

First clock to be made
In America was created
By a black man (Benjamin Banneker)

Scout who used no chart
Helped lead Lewis and Clark
Was a redman (Sacagawea)

Use of martial arts
In our country got its start
By a yellow man

And the leader with a pen
Signed his name to free all men
Was a white man (Abraham Lincoln)

We pledge allegiance
All our lives
To the magic colors
Red, blue and white
But we all must be given
The liberty that we defend
For with justice not for all men
History will repeat again
It's time we learned
This World Was Made For All Men

This world was made for all men
This world was made for all men
This world was made for all men
God saved His world for all men
All people
All babies
All children
All colors
All races
This world's for you
and me
This world
My world
Your world
Everybody's world
This world
Their world
Our world
This world was made for all men

Here me out...

Who was the first man to set foot on the North Pole?
Mattew Henson - a black man

Who was the first american to show the Pilgrims at Plymouth the secrets
of survival in the new world?
Squanto - a redman

Who was the soldier of Company G who won high honors for his courage
and heroism in World War 1?
Sing Lee - ayellow man

Who was the leader of united farm workers and helped farm workers
maintain dignity and respect?
Caesar Chavez - a brown man

Who was the founder of blood plasma and the director of the Red Cross
blood bank?
Dr. Charles Drew - a black man

Who was the first American heroine who aided the Lewis and Clark
expedition?
Sacajewa - a red woman

Who was the famous educator and semanticist who made outstanding
contributions to education in America?
Hayakawa - a yellow man

Who invented the world's first stop light and the gas mask?
- a black man

Who was the American surgeon who was one of the founders of
neurosurgery?
Harvey William Cushing - a white man

Who was the man who helped design the nation's capitol, made the first
clock to give time in America and wrote the first almanac?
Benjamin Banneker - a black man

Who was the legendary hero who helped establish the League of Iroquois?
Hiawatha - a redman

Who was the leader of the first microbiotic center in America?
- a yellow man

Who was the founder of the city of Chicago in 1772?
Jean Baptiste - a black man

Who was one of the organizers of the American Indian Movement?
Denis Banks - a redman

Who was the Jewish financier who raised founds to sponsor Cristopher
Columbus' voyage to America?
Lewis D. Santangol - a white man

Who was the woman who led countless slaves to freedom on the
underground rairoad?
Harriel Tubman - a black woman