Black and White

This song was written by David Arkin (father of the actor Alan Arkin) and Earl Robinson in 1954. It is about the Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court decision desegregating American public schools and the subsequent use of national guardsmen to integrate public schools in Little Rock, Arkansas.

It was first recorded in 1956 on Pete Seeger's "Love Songs for Friends & Foes" LP. It was recorded in 1957 by Earl Robinson on his Folkways' LP "A Walk in the Sun & other Songs & Ballads". Three Dog Night's 1972 pop recording reached #1 on the Billboard's "Hot 100" chart.