Black Poem

[Lady-N-BLACK]

Hey ladies, my college is hosting a program in memory of Dr.Martin L. King and I was asked to write a poem to recite for the occasion. I am very honored that they thought to ask me, but I'm having a little trouble coming up with the info I want, was wondering if you all could help??? :rolleyes: ??? I am trying to think of some examples of racism against blacks that has happened in my lifetime (I'm 19) here's what I got....

Vietnam (black soilders fight a foreign war when war not won at home)
Rodney King ('nuff said)
Amadou Diallo (Shot forty times reaching for wallet, cops said they thought he had gun)
Anthony Hayes (New Orleans man recently shot/killed by about 10 cops.....he had a knife)

I'm still looking, do you all have any examples you could throw out? I would really appreciate it.

[librarising]

1) Katrina
2) Modern-day media (especially commerical rap music) where blacks themselves project racial stereotypes upon themselves and others
3) Failing school systems of "inner city" schools

...for starters

[TwistedXn]

Heck, you can just stay on the topic of New Orleans and find lots of material, eg. the retired school teacher who was seriously beaten by police (he had no weapons), the lack of disaster assistance for the ninth ward during Hurricane Katrina, the failure of government to attend to the weak levees surrounding the predominately black community.


<))))X

[Lady-N-BLACK]

Thanks ladies!!!

librarising:
I did put down Katrina, didn&#39;t even consider the school system! Good idea.

TwistedXn:
I think I know the teacher you were talking about....he was said to be unruly right?? Thanks so much for that one!! Let me go find his name!

[Lady-N-BLACK]

no more??!!

[KamikaK]

How about the racism from the judicial system during the Lionel Tate trial. He was convicted as an adult of killing his little friend. H was only12 years old.

The revoking of Affirmative Action in Massachusetts.

The reformation of welfare laws by Bill Clinton in the 1990&#39;s.

The USA for Elian Gonzalez saga vs. the USA against Haitian immigrants.

[Lady-N-BLACK]

Good Stuff!! Thanks!

[kma01]

you could say something about Latasha Harlings
She was a young teen who was shot and killed by a Korean store owner because she thought Latasha was stealing juice. You could also speak on how the store owner only got community service.

[Lady-N-BLACK]

yea!! It is finally finished!!





Black Gold
Ashley Daniels


I can’t begin to tell you
How many times
I’ve
Seen the signs
Bushes burning, in forms of
Vietnam
Rodney King and
New Orleans
Amadou Diallo, and
Anthony Hayes
64-year-old Robert Davis and
Latasha Harlings…

You see
I’ve come to realize
That often times
Deception dwells in darkness
And we cheat ourselves thinking that
Prejudice lie bare,
Exposed

Remember Brothers and Sisters
Not every threat is hooded in Birmingham
Some address congress
And go by the name of
President
Or even
Friend
And though they allowed us to be
In
But never of-
And at times tried to deny us the very heaven
Which our hands forged

Know this


Many people worship gold
They want to join its substance,
And Wear its worth.
Did your people ever tell you
You are
BLACK GOLD?
Built with a weight
A lasting
A history…
You have importance that cannot be quieted
Therefore, don’t ever let a lesser man silence your soul

You are
More than a space in a quota
In you, you have
The worth of BLACK GOLD

I pray you walk with purpose
And
Stand with legs strong like Rosa’s
I hope you make good on dreams fit for King,
And May you write poems with teeth
Sharp enough to satisfy Baraka

And as long as we all shall live
Let us remember,
Teach,
Live,
And BE…
The full worth
Of BLACK GOLD

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!