I Am - Somebody

I Am - Somebody is a poem by Reverend Jesse Jackson, which he recited on Sesame Street in 1971. This inspirational free verse poem was unparalleled with anything ever attempted on children's television in content and delivery, and to an extent still is. The poem fulfilled Sesame Street 's initial curriculum for serving the under-privileged city youth, as well as offering cultural understanding.

According to The Reader's Companion to American History, the poem was written as part of push-Excel, a program designed to motivate black students.

The following is this poem, in the original structure as written by Reverend Jackson. Lines of "I am/Somebody" or "But I am/Somebody" were recited in a call and response fashion by Jackson and the children. During the skit children of all races were scattered all over the Sesame Street set, on the street, benches, fire escapes, led by Jackson in the poem.

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,

Brown,or white.

I speak a different language

But I must be respected,

Protected,

Never rejected.

I am

God's child!

Cultural references

In 1991, when Dr. Seuss died, Saturday Night Live parodied the poem by having Jackson recite "Green Eggs and Ham" in the same oratative fashion he performs his own poem.

The phrase has become so much of a calling card for Jackson that he yells it in a cameo in the movie Undercover Brother.