A slave woman offers a glimpse into her world. A modern day woman, fortified and shaped by her story, vows to be a light in the new world.

In order to endure the misery that was slavery, a woman is unknowingly fortified, strengthened and saved by God’s armor and protection. Because of her grounding in that amor, generations of her descendants are also led to trust God to help them fight battles and endure challenges in order to overcome and walk in joy.

Written and Directed and Performed Theresa Hamm-Smith
Spirituals arranged by Theresa Hamm-Smith
Performed by Theresa Hamm-Smith
Filmed by Ronn-Smith

HERO Finds His Voice! Available on Amazon.com

Lyrics and Text for
A Brand New Song
Submitted by Theresa Hamm-Smith
SBelle1002@aol.com
770-842-9045

(Music) Lord how come me here? Lord how come me here? Lord how come me here?

Monologue I
I wish I’d never been born. I don’t even know how I got here. It seem like one minute I was grinding corn and laughing with the women in my village. Outta nowhere these wild-eyed men with skin so pale it look like they ain’t never seen the sun, came from beyond the horizon. They started forcin’ us onto the big boat. Lawd, that boat. It was the awfullest thing I ever seen. People moanin’ and sick. So afraid of what they didn’t know many of em’ jumped right over the side of the boat to hide in the dark waters of the ocean. After days and days on that horrible boat I ended up here. I don’t like it here. I ain’t safe here. There ain’t no freedom here. Just workin’ from sunup to sundown, shoutin’, beatins’, never enough of nuthin’. I did steal a little slice of joy though. I found a lovely man. A man who saw me, not just my body and the pleasure it could give him. He saw me, the whole of me. He wanted to know my thoughts, my dreams, my ideas, cause you know, we have em’. We decided to jump the broom and be together as man and wife forever. What a day that was. Not long after we had a baby; a beautiful chocolate brown baby boy. I used to call him my chocolate drop. We was real happy. As happy as you could be and still be a slave. Then one day they was both gone; sold just like that. First my man, then my chocolate drop

Monologue II
I can’t even imagine her pain. But through her pain, her despair, she was strong in the Lord. She stood her ground in the face of the evil that surrounded her and kept her eyes fixed on heaven. The heaven where she was free to choose the life she wanted. The heaven where her other children were free. And their children after them. Each generation fit with the full armor of God that she passed on to them so that they too could stand in the face of jim crow, their civil rights being denied, being brutalized in the street. They stood, and they worked and they prayed and they had faith. They had faith that I, their precious, chocolate drop, descendant, would have better; that I would be strong and have a voice. So now I stand fueled by their grit and determination. Standing firm while Boldly and Fearlessly celebrating them. Honoring them with my every word and deed. Still clothed in the full armor of God that runs in my blood, my feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. Shining a light into a dark world and singing a brand new song.

(Music) This Little Light of Mine! I’m gonna let it shine!