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.