 Together with Weldon Irvine , Simone turned the late Lorraine <unk> 's unfinished play To Be Young , <unk> and Black into a civil rights song . <unk> had been a personal friend whom Simone credited with <unk> her social and political consciousness . She performed the song live on the album Black Gold ( <unk> ) . A studio recording was released as a single , and renditions of the song have been recorded by Aretha Franklin ( on her 1972 album Young , <unk> and Black ) and by Donny <unk> . 
