Local poets answer “Black America Since MLK”

In his latest documentary series, Henry Louis Gates, Jr. examines the extraordinary accomplishment of black Americans and wrestles with the racism and discrimination that plagues our country nearly 50 years since the Civil Rights Movement ended.

KCPT hosted a special sneak peek of Black America Since MLK: And Still I Rise earlier this month at the Black Archives of Mid-America.

As part of the event, three local poets were invited to answer the central question of the documentary: what does it mean to be black in America today?

“I am a child of the 70s and I think that I grew up at time when my parents and grandparents had really paved the way for me to not have to ride in the back of the bus, and to not have to deal with overt racism,” said Glenn North, who helped organize the event and was one of the poet performers.

North said that despite growing up after the Civil Rights Movement had ended, he still knew from a young age that he was viewed differently as a black man.

North’s poem, “Poet Questions the Oppressor,” was motivated by recent police murders of unarmed black men.

Unique Hughley followed North with his poem titled “Big Brother Alchemist.”

“Since the beginning of my time, the one thing since MLK that has affected me is crack cocaine,” Hughley said. “From my mama to my daddy to all my brothers that have been in jail, it’s been crack cocaine that has been the most influential in my life.”

Sheri Hall concluded the performances with her poem, “Black on Black Crime.”

Hall said that her poem was inspired both by her disdain for the phrase “black on black crime,” and the James Baldwin poem, “My Dungeon Shook — Letter to my Nephew on the One Hundredth Anniversary of Emancipation.”

After the performances attendees were invited to create their own six word poetic responses to the documentary clips and what it means to be black today. Some of those included:

More than my skin – God within
Like pedaling up a tar hill
Struggle; Hope; Misunderstood; blame; Racism; Pride
Black Woman? Where is your husband?
See something, speak nothing
A new day, a new way
We only came so far up
Riot! Yes, for black women too!
Gains were made. White folks fled.
Chin on shoulder. Always looking over.
Will my sons see tomorrow’s sun?
Cosmetic cultural change with underlying racism
Criminalized because of our skin

Episode three and four of Black America Since MLK: And Still I Rise airs tonight, November 22, 2016, at 8 p.m. on KCPT.

The first two episodes of the series are available here.