Lyrics State of Arkansas - Pete Seeger

State of Arkansas

My name is Terry Roberts
From Little Rock I come
I went down to the schoolhouse
The place they kept me from
I went down to that schoolhouse
And this is what I saw…
State troopers with steel helmets
In the State of Arkansas
I went up to the troopers
And said, «Please let me in.»
And all their guns were pointed
At the color of my skin
They kept me from that schoolhouse
Where I’d be by law
And that’s what they call justice
In the State of Arkansas
Now his name is Orval Faubus
The governor of the state
He sent his army charging down
Nine kids at the gate
Three hundred National Guard were there
Dressed up to fight a war
And that is why I’m late for school
In the State of Arkansas
Oh listen, Mr. Governor
And Mr. President, too
Give me that constitution
That’s what you’ve got to do
Give me that constitution
I ask for nothing more
Yes, that’s what I want to study
In the State of Arkansas
I’ve traveled this wide world over
Some ups and downs I’ve saw
But I never knew what misery was
Til I hit old Arkansas