By: GAELLE PETIT-HOMME / STAFF WRITER
Black History is Immortal
BLACK HISTORY IS MORE THAN 28 DAYS
IT SO MUCH MORE THAN “WHAT SELLS”
IT’S MUCH OLDER THAN SLAVERY.
IT’S THE NUMEROUS ROYALTIES IN OUR BLOODLINE.
MANSA MUSA, ALL HIS WEALTH AND GENEROSITY.
QUEEN MAKEDA IN ALL BEAUTY AND WISDOM,
THE FALLEN WARRIORS THEY TRIED TO ERASE FROM HISTORY.
THE SHIPS THAT CARRIED US ACROSS THE ATLANTIC OCEAN,
THOSE WHO DROWNED IN THEIR OWN BODY FLUIDS.
THE LEGACY THAT DISAPPEARED WITH THOSE WHO CHOSE DEATH OVER CHAINS,
OUR ANCESTORS DISPERSED AT EVERY BOAT STOP.
IT’S THE SLAVES THAT WORKED TO DEATH,
THE WHIPS THAT TORE THEIR FLESH.
THE SWEAT MIXED WITH BLOOD AND TEARS IN THE SUGAR CANE FIELDS.
THE WOMEN THAT BORE THEIR MASTERS' BURDEN.
IT’S THE BROTHERS LYNCHED,
THE SISTERS RAPED,
THE KIDS, ROBBED OF A FUTURE.
THE REVOLUTION THAT ROARED WITHIN TOUSSAIN LOVERTURE AND OTHERS.
MALCOLM X IN HIS ELOQUENCE AND BRAVERY,
DR. KING AND HIS DREAM.
ROSA PARK’S RESILIENCE,
THE BLACK PANTHERS THAT SAW OUR TRUE REFLECTION IN THE DIRTY MIRROR WE WERE GIVEN.
THE TREES THEY TRIED HACKING DOWN,
BUT IT SPRUNG UP BY ITS ROOTS.
THE SEEDS THEY BURIED,
THAT BLOOMED BEAUTIFULLY.
THE FLAMES THEY TRIED TO CONTAIN,
BUT WE SPROUT OUT LIKE A RAGING FIRE .
IT WAS THERE FROM THE BEGINNING.
IT’S BEING MADE AS WE SPEAK,
AS YOUTH FIND ITS ORIGIN,
AS THE PEOPLE BREAK ALL BARRIERS.
BLACK HISTORY IS MORE THAN JUST A MONTH.
IT CANNOT BE CONTAINED NOR MEASURED,
BECAUSE IT’S INFINITE.
IT CANNOT BE HIDDEN NOR FORGOTTEN,
BECAUSE IT’S FOUND WITHIN.
IN THE END,
IT FINDS ITS WAY TO US.
Comments