Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me ‘Round: The Last Days of Resurrection City, 1968

With lyrics to the powerful movement song

On 24 June 1968, Resurrection City, the protest camp organized by the original Poor People’s Campaign at West Potomac Park, National Mall, Washington, DC, was destroyed by a police-military operation and its remaining residents were violently evicted with many arrests. Activists sung the song “Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Round,” a Civil Rights Movement song, as they were forced out. The lyrics are reprinted below. To learn more about the events of the midnight-to-midnight trauma, read an account from an original PPC member here: https://poorpeoplesembassy.org/2023/06/24/when-the-blue-dragon-invaded-resurrection-city-6-23-24-1968/

Ain't Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me ‘Round

(Based on the spiritual “Don’t Let Nobody Turn You ‘Round”)

Ain't gonna let nobody turn me 'round,

turn me 'round, turn me 'round,

Ain't gonna let nobody turn me 'round

I'm gonna keep on a walkin', keep on a-talkin', Marching up to freedom land.

Ain't gonna let Nervous Nelly turn me 'round, turn me 'round,

Ain't gonna let Nervous Nelly turn me 'round, I'm gonna keep on a-walkin', keep on a-talkin', Marching up to freedom land.

Ain't gonna let Chief Pritchett turn me 'round, turn me 'round,

Ain't gonna let Chief Pritchett turn me 'round, I'm gonna keep on a-walkin', keep on a-talkin', Marching up to freedom land.

Ain't gonna let Mayor Kelly turn me 'round, turn me 'round,

Ain't gonna let Mayor Kelly turn me 'round, I'm gonna keep on a-walkin', keep on a-talkin', Marching up to freedom land.

Ain't gonna let segregation turn me 'round, turn me 'round,

Ain't gonna let segregation turn me 'round,

I'm gonna keep on a-walkin', keep on a-talkin', Marching up to freedom land.