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History is the sum total of what all of us do on a daily basis

Women were the solution.

Sharp and successful,

they acted as human computers,

freeing the engineers of hand calculations in the decades before the digital age.

Their rumpled style and distracted manner seemed like exotic birds in a sanctuary.

racial discrimination remained strong

The narrative triggered memories decades old

When to fight and when to concede.

the space race gained speed

spurring an insatiable demand for mathematicians.

There wasn’t a better seat in the world

The most rewarding work (i've) ever done

boundless respect, deepest gratitude, and endless love

The reason I chose these lines is because it represents how black people were needed to create a functioning society. The lines are from the book Hidden Figures and an article about it. Hidden Figures depicts a group of African American women who worked as human computers referred to as West Computers at NASA. In this time racism was strong but this failed to stop the women from their excellence in mathematics. Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, and Katherine Johnson were the three mathematicians who shared their story. The first line is like an intro to the poem, telling how everything that happens will become history, similar to the events in Hidden Figures. The beginning of the poem is to show how women were needed for NASA. Despite racial discrimination in their time, it was only important that NASA progressed because of the ‘space race.’ They made a racial difference in their workplace which is the reason for the line “Their rumpled style and distracted manner seemed like exotic birds in a sanctuary.” It shows a change from the normally white workplaces and how the three women stood out. The second part touches on how racism was strong and brutal. The line “The narrative triggered memories decades old” is meant to capture struggles and the history behind slavery which directly connect to the racism the women would go on to face. The third verse shows how the women’s work benefited today’s world and helped pave the way for black mathematicians.  In its entirety this poem is designed to show the need for women in NASA, their struggles, and their overall triumph throughout the Hidden Figures story.

The article-

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/forgotten-black-women-mathematicians-who-helped-win-wars-and-send-astronauts-space-180960393/

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Never Touched the Ground by Daniel Garber 

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Never Touched the Ground by Daniel Garber 

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“Boys, the old flag never touched the ground!”

The 54th Massachusetts had a chance to prove its mettle

As soon as they advanced they were immediately hit

As the wounded man faltered, Carney dropped his gun, seized the flag and moved to the front

Still firmly holding the flag while bullets and shell fragments peppered the sand around him

He seemed to be alone, surrounded by the wreckage of his regiment

Carney wanted to help the wounded, but enemy fire pinned him down

Carney rose to get a better look. It was a fateful move.

“The bullet I now carry in my body came whizzing like a mosquito, and I was shot.”

Despite carrying two slugs in his body, Carney kept moving.

He saw another Union soldier coming in his direction

He was with the 100th New York

“Now then,” said the New York soldier, “let me take the colors and carry them for you.”

He was not willing to give the colors to anyone who was not a member of the 54th Massachusetts

Throughout his ordeal, he held on to the colors

Cheers greeted him when Carney finally staggered back into the ranks of the 54th. Before collapsing, he said “Boys, the old flag never touched the ground!”

Analysis

I chose these lines because they showed the struggle Carney went through to survive the battle, and the heroism he displayed in order to win the Medal of Honor. Additionally, I believe lines like “As soon as they advanced they were immediately hit” and “As the wounded man faltered, Carney dropped his gun, seized the flag and moved to the front” can represent the struggle Civil Rights activists went through. The line “As soon as they advanced they were immediately hit” can represent how much backlash Civil Rights activists generated once they made massive strides. “As the wounded man faltered, Carney dropped his gun, seized the flag and moved to the front” can represent how adamant on solving problems through peaceful methods rather than violence most Civil Rights groups were.

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He didn't play to win, he played because he loved it.
Once he put his mind to something he went and achieved it.
Not only an athlete, but a role model to all aspiring players.
A fighter on and off the field.
Knowing how to be a phenomenal player, yet an even better teammate.
He believed you didn't have to be the best, just the best to your ability,
Through sports, he became a better person and encourages others to do the same.
He made sure to push himself to his limits and be harsh on himself so no one else could be any harsher
He could truly express himself in these sports and took pride in every game he played.
"Success is not only for the elite. Success is there for those who want, plan for it, and take action to achieve it."
He didn't play to win, he played because he loved it.

Analysis:
I choose these lines because it showcases what an amazing and inspiring athlete Jim Brown was. It shows how committed he was to the sports he played and how he encouraged others to be the best they can be. Despite the challenges of racial prejudice going on during this time, he stayed strong and still proved to the world that African Americans can be just as successful as anyone else. He accomplished so much including being in both the Football and Lacrosse Halls of Fame. Overall he was such an incredible athlete, person, and teammate.

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Freedom= Education + Determination by Reed Kibutu 

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Freedom= Education + Determination by Reed Kibutu 

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Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today

The future belongs to people who prepare today.

Without education, you are not going anywhere in this world.

You need to be an intelligent human being to fight for freedom.

If you’re not ready to die for it, put the word ‘freedom’ out of your vocabulary.

I feel like a man who has been asleep somewhat and under someone else’s control.

I feel that what I’m thinking and saying is now for myself.

Now I think with my own mind, sir!

A man who stands for nothing will fall for anything

A man who believes in freedom will do anything under the sun to acquire . . . or preserve his freedom.

All of these lines are quotes from Malcolm X. At the beginning of the poem, Malcolm X talks about education. He says you need a good education to have a good future. One of the lines states “You need to be an intelligent human being to fight for freedom”. This line connects education with freedom. The next lines are talking about freedom and thinking for yourself. You need to be determined to fight for freedom. I manipulated the order of the lines to make it tell a story. Education+Determination=Freedom. These words are inspiring and it summarizes the message of the poem.

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Determined to take him back

His parents were George and Rebecca Latimer

runaway slaves who migrated to Massachusetts...

George Latimer was captured by his slave owner

He was set free

Abolition supporters set him free

He was free

Lewis left behind a legacy

A legacy of achievement

A legacy of leadership

The world owes thanks.

Edison gets credit

Latimer helped create a light bulb

Edison gets credit

He got there with a lot of help

Edison gets credit

Help from Latimer

Big ideas couldn’t possibly be ascribed to non-white people

I decided to use these lines because it shows Lewis’s early life and one of his biggest achievements. Lewis Latimer’s parents were runaway slaves and his dad was captured by his slave owner. The slave owner tried to do everything in his power to take Lewis’s father back. George Latimer's  gained and as a result, abolitionist supporters decided to purchase him and set him free. If those abolition supporters never set George Latimer free Lewis Latimer might not have been as successful. In 1881 Lewis started working for Thomas Edison and they built the lightbulb. Lewis made improvements to the lightbulb to make it last longer. Even though he helped with the creation of the light bulb, Thomas Edison got all of the credit and many people do not recognize Lewis’s role. The reason why no one recognizes Lewis's work is because he is black and “Big ideas couldn’t possibly be ascribed to non-white people”.

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The Struggle for Integration by Daphne Kam

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The Struggle for Integration by Daphne Kam

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on may 17, 1954, brown v. board of education

ruling that declared segregation

in public schools unconstitutional

Minnijean Brown

Elizabeth Eckford

Ernest Green

Thelma Mothershed

Melba Patillo

Gloria Ray

Terrence Roberts

Jefferson Thomas

Carlotta Walls

recruited by Daisy Gaston Bates

they were shoved to the Central High gates

carefully vetted with all deliberate speed

complete with strength & determination

but not without violence in the nation

they were ready for school september 4, 1957

but not without a fight

the national guard taking away their rights

finally, let in on september 23

it is not forgotten

virtuous & distinguished they are

fulfilling above par

These lines are a basis of what happened to the Little Rock Nine. What is not said is their individual battles, including Elizabeth Eckford who actually went to the school alone, against the national guard. But they quite bring to light what happened. Because despite the Supreme Court ruling that they were allowed to go to school, everyone was still against it. Despite it being illegal to stop them from integrating schools, they still didn't stop. It shows how people are able to manipulate things into their favor, even though it's wrong. It also shows that evil doesn't win. Although the Little Rock Nine was stopped and were incredibly oppressed, they still fought it and beat the "bad guys". They were able to come out from the dark side and into the light so that we, now, could hear their stories. How even when the odds are against you and everyone against you, if you fight through it, you can be successful in life and you can be great. Overall, this may not be a long poem, but it truly portrays what happened to them straight up. An event in history that will never be forgotten.

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"Brave Bessie"

One of thirteen children

In her early life started with very little

A young woman who sparked an interest in aviation at the age of 23

1922

A time of both gender and racial discrimination
"The air is the only place free from prejudice"

Flying schools denied her just because she was a woman and because she was a woman of color

“I refused to take no for an answer”

Coleman broke barriers in a time of inequality
"I refused to take no for an answer"

Learned french to be taught to fly in France when the U.S wouldn't even allow her to learn

“I refused to take no for an answer”

Became the first black woman to earn a piolet’s license

“I refused to take no for an answer”

Specialized in flying stunts and parachuting
The first African American woman in America to make a public flight

“I made my mind up to try. I tried and was successful”
Bessie Coleman

The first black woman aviator

“Brave Bessie”

I chose these lines to use in my poem because they showed Bessie Coleman's impact during a time of discrimination. I chose to include the quotes "I made of my mind to try. I tried and I was successful" and "I refused to take no for an answer" because it was inspirational. Even though at the time, people would try to stop Coleman from achieving her dreams, she still wouldn't give up and find another way around these obstacles to become an aviator. In addition, I also chose to include the lines "Flying schools denied her just because she was a woman and African American" and "A time of both gender and racial discrimination" because I wanted to talk about what the world was like back then and what struggles many people went through. Then, I included the lines about her many achievements because I felt it was important to talk about her many accomplishments after overcoming the many obstacles that stood in her way. I also wanted to talk about how hard Bessie Coleman worked to become the first black woman aviator. I overall chose Bessie and these lines in my poem because to me, they can inspire many people, including myself, to work hard at their dreams and never give up even when life is hard and gets in the way sometimes.

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Certainly no one did as much with a Guitar: Jimi Hendrix by Dylan Schatell.

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Certainly no one did as much with a Guitar: Jimi Hendrix by Dylan Schatell.

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Jimi took an interest in music at an early age,

Habit of carrying a broom with him to emulate a guitar

Music became a sanctuary

Instrumental in popularizing the previously undesirable sounds caused by guitar amplifier feedback.

Certainly, no one did as much with a guitar,

Barely four years from coming into the spotlight Jimi Hendrix lit up music and perhaps did more than any other musician... to open people’s eyes, ears and minds to what was possible.

That Jimi died so young is ultimately a tragedy. That he brightened up so many lives with his unforgettable performances on stage is something to be savored.

I chose these lines because they show Jimi’s impact on the music world and his life. The lines “Jimi took an interest in music at an early age” and “Habit of carrying a broom with him to emulate a guitar” show that he loved music from a young age. The line “Music became a sanctuary” shows that he had a tough early life and used music as a way to escape or in this example a sanctuary. The lines “Instrumental in popularizing the previously undesirable sounds caused by guitar amplifier feedback.” and “Certainly, no one did as much with a guitar,” show that he did things with guitar that many people did not essentially revolutionizing the sound of rock music. The line “Barely four years from coming into the spotlight Jimi Hendrix lit up music and perhaps did more than any other musician... to open people’s eyes, ears and minds to what was possible.” show that he had a big impact on people themselves and changed boundaries most people didn't cross in music playing-wise. The final line “That Jimi died so young is ultimately a tragedy. That he brightened up so many lives with his unforgettable performances on stage is something to be savoured.” shows that although Jimi died extremely young his impact on people and music will probably never be forgotten. I wrote about Jimi because I am a fan of his music and he was one of the musicians who inspired me to pick up guitar.

Below is a picture of Jimi burning a guitar on stage after a show. An image that would go down in rock history.

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Born to Make a Change: Dorothy Height by Judaea Cummings

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Born to Make a Change: Dorothy Height by Judaea Cummings

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I think of life as a unity of circles

Willing to do everything for a new start

I took life seriously

I never enjoyed doing nothing

But I was shy

I was a gentle, persistent giant for human progress

Born to make a change

Building a legacy

I stepped into the room

No one approached me

For a woman of color

Look at me and be renewed

I had been turned away

But I was born to make a change

Embraced me with affection

I felt blessed once again

I had done something great

I opened wide the freedom gate

I exchange the meaning of equality

Born to make a change

Deeper meaning and why I choose these lines:
In a deeper meaning, this poem reflects on Dorothy Height's life and the stressful times that she had to go through to get where she did before she died and the change that she made then. The lines tell that she wanted to start something that would make a change even though she was shy or took life seriously. The lines also tell the places she went she was judged or pushed away or not enough for people, but she knew she was created to make a change and teach others the same, which was to do something great and create change in the world. She was a Civil Rights activist and fought for Civil Rights and women's rights. She wanted people to understand where she was coming from and why fighting for the rights she fought for were so important. Also when she says, "Look at me and be renewed" she means she wants people to know who she is and what she has done to affect the world for the better and she wants people to be amazed by what she did. The reason I choose these lines were that it goes into the deeper meaning of who Dorothy's Height is. Instead of just knowing Height as one of the civil rights activists like most black African-Americans throughout history. I thought these lines would show that Dorothy Height's life wasn't as simple as it seemed and that she made great changes just like every other black African-American who desperately wanted change. The most important reason that I chose all of these lines was that they showed great expression and gave a good summary of a woman who wanted to build a legacy and show everyone that they can be something useful in the world and open wide freedom gates.

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The Father of Black History - Emily Lossman

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The Father of Black History - Emily Lossman

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Carter G. Woodson

Father of Black History

Ambitious for more education

Hoped to attend Douglas High School

However... earned his living as a miner

1895

A twenty year old Carter entered Douglas High School

He received his diploma in less than two years.

1912

He received his Ph.D.

From Harvard University

1926

He developed Negro History Week.

Woodson often said that he hoped the time would come

When Negro History Week would be unnecessary;

When all Americans would recognize Black Americans

as part of the history of this country.

His philosophy has made the study of Black history a legitimate and acceptable area of intellectual inquiry.
1875

His father supported the family on his earnings as a carpenter.

His father, he later wrote, insisted that

“Learning to accept insult,

To compromise on principle,

To mislead your fellow man,

Or to betray your people,

Is to lose your soul.”

Father of Black History

Carter G. Woodson was one of the very first to recognize African-American history as a part of world history, and he made a point of it. I wanted to recognize him for who he really seemed to be, and show just how hard this man really worked to do the things he did, and to just be who he was. The poem begins by addressing who he is; the father of black history. Immediately after, it drops him from the title he is best known as to a coal miner who never attended high school. The dates are marking great changes in his life, in which he accomplished something great and inspiring for people today. An example is the next couple of lines, in which it is explained that despite missing out on a normal high school education, he returned despite the inconvenience of being different, or the wrong age, because he wanted to be properly educated. Then he went above and beyond that and earned his Ph.D. at Harvard. Then, he finally did what he is known best for, but he couldn’t have done it without having learned from his father that he has to stand up for his culture and his people. It's in the final part of my poem, 1875, where he learns the most important lesson which led him to accomplish all the others and all else he managed. It’s inspirational to me as he was a person who had so little, but worked his way up into his education and then proceeded to use what he had learned and his abilities to try and help those around him.

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Thurgood Marshall's Case For Freedom by Tewodros Daniel

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Thurgood Marshall's Case For Freedom by Tewodros Daniel

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An American lawyer who was appointed as an associate justice of the Supreme Court in 1967.

Despite being overqualified academically, Marshall was rejected by many schools because of his race.

experience with discrimination in education made a lasting impression on Marshall and helped determine the future course of his career.

Marshall was sworn in as a Supreme Court justice, becoming the first African American to serve on the nation's highest court.

He was the first African American to hold the position

he utilized the judiciary to champion equality for African Americans.

“Racism separates, but it never liberates. Hatred generates fear, and fear once given a foothold; binds consumes and imprisons”

“Liberty cannot bloom amid hate. Justice cannot take root amid rage. America must get to work. In the chill climate in which we live, we must go against the prevailing wind”

Marshall's strategy of attacking racial inequality through the courts represented a third way of pursuing racial equality

In 1936, Marshall moved to New York City to work full time as legal counsel for the NAACP.

Marshall stands alongside Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X as one of the greatest and most important figures of the American civil rights movement.

Analysis:

I chose these lines because they represent what Thurgood Marshall did for the African American community along with what he believed in. Thurgood believed that the country could not thrive in hate and thus he wanted to end racial profiling in the country. To do so he may not have given speeches like Malcolm X or Dr. King but instead used the court system to win cases for people who were convicted because of the color of their skin. A memorable thing about him is that he was denied an education by several schools because of his race but that didn’t stop him. He still fought for equality and made it far in the battle for civil rights. All the way up to the supreme court.

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The Bad, the Terrible, and Atrocious By Chima Marazere

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The Bad, the Terrible, and Atrocious By Chima Marazere

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“Coleman looked out over the 3,000 people gathered in the public square in the state capital of Jackson. Virtually all the faces looking back at him were white.”

“The Ku Klux Klan awoke from a long slumber with cross burnings, beatings, and even murder.”

“The vast stretches of green and white cotton fields are interspersed with eerie, miss-draped cypress swamps.”

“The seemingly endless supply of slave labor and ravenous demand for cotton fueled a robust economy dominated by a wealthy planters, powerful politicians, and influential businessmen”

“The freedom riders had to accept the fact that attacks on the bus were possible, even likely, despite the extraordinary police and military protection deployed to prevent violence.”

“His voice moved from soft cadence to rolling thunder as he warned that their “cherished way of life” was being threatened by the “integrationists, agitators, subversives and rice mixers.”

“They were afraid to resits or run of fear of being whipped, beaten, or sold away from their families.”

“Clyde Kennard was born on June 12, 1927 and raised among the cotton and corn fields of rural Forrest County, Mississippi.”

“The governor began hiring investigators and assigned them to develop a network of paid and unpaid informants to serve as the Commission’s “eyes and ears” in communities statewide.”

“In light of the violence, protest organizers with the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) prepared to call a halt to the rides.”

My own poem based on the lines above:

They worked in the shadows, as they weren’t a fan

They signed with the devils, and the Ku Klux Klan

Demanding they change the economy in their favor

Working towards such with Negro labor

They repelled against the idea of integration

No words broke their barrier, not any translation

They weren’t a group that was another joke

Give them a reason to strike a pose, and they’ll deliver the smoke

Claiming they were in the right, fully proved they were narcissistic

No words in the dictionary could describe their cruel characteristic

Spies, agents, infiltrators, they had them all

They were the Spies of Mississippi that answered to the call

Analysis:
I selected these lines as they not only give an example of the racial standard of the time, but also a brief summary as life for colors before the abolishment of slavery, as well as the struggles and risks colors took during the civil rights movement. During the 1900s it wasn't the colors that were credited or stored in the hall of fame, but instead it was the whites. Your accomplishment big or small barely in most cases didn't grant you the proper endorsements you deserved. The constant image of colored people being less vauble and less worthy compared to whites, or the people of the common was drilled into the minds and brains of the white nation. And the thought of both colored and whites living together under the same laws and circumstances sparked fear and most iconically frustration. To the point of secret-shady organizations that worked under the grid, black-mailing, murdering, and bribing individuals in order to try and halt the progress of the civil rights movement. When we analyze the civil rights movement we pinpoint and categorize it into generally three major categorizes; "Hardships", "Major Leaders" and "Strategies". What nobody really sheds light onto are the people who really went out of their way to stop this movement. And no I'm not referring to the racist crowds who stood with her racial discriminating signs, but instead high-ranking officials who formed groups and organizations to silence the blacks. The people who desperately tried to keep what we have today as nothing more than a fantasy, a wish come true. Self-proclaimed "superheros" forever written down in history as villains.

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The Struggle for Integration by Daphne Kam

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The Struggle for Integration by Daphne Kam

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on may 17, 1954, brown v. board of education

ruling that declared segregation

in public schools unconstitutional

Minnijean Brown

Elizabeth Eckford

Ernest Green

Thelma Mothershed

Melba Patillo

Gloria Ray

Terrence Roberts

Jefferson Thomas

Carlotta Walls

recruited by Daisy Gaston Bates

they were shoved to the Central High gates

carefully vetted with all deliberate speed

complete with strength & determination

but not without violence in the nation

they were ready for school september 4, 1957

but not without a fight

the national guard taking away their rights

finally, let in on september 23

it is not forgotten

virtuous & distinguished they are

fulfilling above par

These lines are a basis of what happened to the Little Rock Nine. What is not said is their individual battles, including Elizabeth Eckford who actually went to the school alone, against the national guard. But they quite bring to light what happened. Because despite the Supreme Court ruling that they were allowed to go to school, everyone was still against it. Despite it being illegal to stop them from integrating schools, they still didn't stop. It shows how people are able to manipulate things into their favor, even though it's wrong. It also shows that evil doesn't win. Although the Little Rock Nine was stopped and were incredibly oppressed, they still fought it and beat the "bad guys". They were able to come out from the dark side and into the light so that we, now, could hear their stories. How even when the odds are against you and everyone against you, if you fight through it, you can be successful in life and you can be great. Overall, this may not be a long poem, but it truly portrays what happened to them straight up. An event in history that will never be forgotten.

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Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation.

How long? Not long.

One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination.

How long? Not long, because no lie can live forever.

Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice.

How long? Not long, “because the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.”.

This sweltering summer of the Negro's legitimate discontent will not pass until there is an invigorating autumn of freedom and equality.

How long? Not long, “because truth crushed to the Earth will rise again.”.

And when this happens, and when we allow freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every state.

How long? Not Long.

We will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual

How long? Not Long.

Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!

How Long? Not long, “because mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the lord.”.

I chose these words because of two things. They are the words of Martin Luther King Jr., a great man, and because they have power to them. This includes the words which he has taken from others. I chose the lines of his “I Have a Dream Speech” that resonated with me and I think they have power to them. For they are his dream and the dream of many. It is their voice. I chose the repetitive lines from his “Our God is Marching On!” speech because it adds to the dream. It tells a story of the want for freedom for not just one race, but for all races. That it will not be long before justice and freedom will arrive. Together, they form a passage with power of those discriminated against and that they will be freed by their lord. They will not let this injustice continue for, “Truth crushed into the Earth will rise again.”.

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Growing up, things were not easy for her.

Mr. Scott’s mill was burned down.

The family's beautiful home burned down.

Everyday, she walked three miles to school.

Coretta knew white children had a fine brick school.

At hers, 100 kids were crowded into one room.

It wasn’t easy for the kids at Correta’s school to complete 6 grades.

It was almost impossible for them to attend high school.

On April 4, 1968, Martin Luther King was assassinated.

Correta had suffered a lot by this time.

She remained strong.

Analysis:

I picked these lines because I think that they represent all that Corretta Scott King went through. During her childhood, Correta Scott King faced racism basically every day of her life. Correta’s father worked hard for their family and didn’t get back what he deserved in return. Coretta also had to face segregation. She had to handle getting the less of everything. The last couple lines of this poem really stood out to me because it shows after everything that happened to her, losing her husband so suddenly, she still remained strong and finished her husband’s work. Overall, this poem shows the strength of Coretta Scott King.

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I was famous in my neighborhood just because of the color of my skin

Born A Crime

The house on Makhalima Street. At the corner, you’ll see a light-skinned boy

Race mixing proves that races can mix, and in a lot of cases want to mix

Racism exists; People are getting hurt

Race mixing becomes a crime worse than treason

I was seen as a colored person who didn't want to be colored

Just because it's not happening to you doesn't mean it's not happening.

It's frightening that we have to live through history over and over again.

A shared language says, 'we're the same'

A language barrier says, 'we're different'

I was mixed but not colored

Be willing to hear someone else's point of view

The lines that I chose were from Trevor Noah's book and some of his famous quotes. I think Trevor Noah was a great person to use for this poem because his parents are an interracial couple that had him during apartheid. At the time, in South African, it was illegal for Black people and White People to have children. Trevor Noah famously grew up, 'a crime' and dealt with racism throughout his entire life. The lines in this poem explain how he was a mixed child and how he dealt with racism. They also talk about his views on racism. Trevor Noah has dealt with racism his whole life and is a very impressive role model.

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I loved the game. We played because we loved it.

If you truly believe something and its incorrect that doesn’t mean you don't have integrity.

There is no excuse for violence.

Success is not only for the elite. Success is there for those who want it, plan for it, and take action to achieve it.

Not only is n the greatest running back the NFL has ever seen, but he is also one of the greatest lacrosse players of all time.

Teammates are there for each other even after the noise of the crowd is gone.

You can’t get old without living

Brown is the best ever

I chose these lines because they show both some of the quotes that Brown himself said and some quotes that other people have said about Jim Brown. His quotes show how he cared about both sport and life in general. And the quotes that I chose from other people are about just how great Brown was at the sport. He played both lacrosse and football and he was great at both of them which shows how naturally athletic he was. He is considered the greatest running back of all time and one of the greatest athletes and football players of all time as well. He will be remembered for his skill and his knowledge of the sport.

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I guess it was the newspapers reporting on the air war in Europe...that got me into flying

All the articles I read finally convinced me

I should be up there flying

not just reading about it

Borrowed books from a library wagon

I couldn’t get enough

I found a brand new world in a written word

Susan Coleman could not read or write, but she was determined that her children would “be somebody”

My mother’s words always gave me the strength to overcome obstacles

Blacks should not have to experience the difficulties I had faced

So I decided

To open up a flying school

And teach other black women to fly

Both African Americans and whites came by the thousands to see

Thousands

But

I told them I would not fly unless they let the blacks through the same gate as the whites

I wasn’t going to let them humiliate my people who came to see me

If I could have a minimum of my desires, I would have no regrets

I chose these lines because, in a way, they summarized some of the most important parts of Bessie Coleman’s life. It explains how she developed an interest for flying and how she became the famous person she was. Most of these were things she said herself. She believed that blacks and whites should walk through the same gate. That they should have equal rights. She saw them as her people. And no one was going to treat her people unfairly. This poem expresses her beliefs which are what made her a civil rights activist.

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Nine months,

Rosa Parks did the same thing I did nine months later

I refused to give up my seat to a white man

I was not going to walk off the bus voluntarily

But no one noticed, and no one wrote about me

It may seem selfish

But I deserved just as much praise, but no matter how much I was ignored

I still did my part

I still worked to end segregation of Montgomery Buses

I was the first to really challenge the law

I was a pioneer of the 1950s civil rights movement

The bus driver ordered me to get up and I refused

I'd paid my fare and it was my constitutional right

I was a strong, big and bold 15 year old

And I live by my pride

I'm happy to live knowing that I worked hard to end segregation

But then again,

Rosa Parks did the same thing I did nine months later

Analysis:

I choose these lines because they really explained how Claudette Colvin was ignored. She was really an unsung soul as she was the pioneer of the civil rights movement in the 1950s. Rosa Parks is always described as the pioneer of the Civil rights movement. This always leads me to the question, "Did she care?" Since it was so hard for younger people to be represented in marches and protests, did Rosa Parks care if she'd stolen the 'thunder' from a big and bold individual? These scenarios can always be used as an argument, not just for Cluadette's sake but for everyone's unsung soul's sake. But besides the fact that Claudette was always ignored these lines also explain how she was a strong individual and how she overcame the prejudice. Claudette worked hard to overcome segregation in Montogomery no matter the obstacles she faced.

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Langston Hughes was more than just a poet; he was a writer in almost any genre you can think of.
He intended to "express our individual dark-skinned selves without fear or shame.  If white people are pleased we are glad.  If they are not, it doesn't matter."
That is the magic of poetry
He quickly became a part of Harlem's cultural movement and became a leader.
"My soul has grown deep like the rivers."
He sought to honestly portray the joys and hardships of working-class black lives, avoiding both sentimental idealization and negative stereotypes.
This was provoked because he “saw many white sailors get hired instead of him when he was desperate for a ship to take him home from Genoa, Italy. This led to his plaintive, powerful poem "I, Too," a meditation on the day that such unequal treatment would end.”
That is the magic of poetry
Hughes believed in the worthiness of all black people to appear in art, no matter their social status.
He published a poetry collection that featured black lives outside the educated upper and middle classes, including drunks and prostitutes.
“What happens to a dream deferred?... does it dry up?... Or fester like a sore… Does it stink like rotten meat?... maybe it just sags… or does it explode?”
That is the magic of poetry
“Where is the Jim Crow section...On this merry-go-round,...Mister, cause I want to ride?...Down South on the train...White and colored...Can't sit side by side….Down South on the train...There's a Jim Crow car….On the bus we're put in the back—...But there ain't no back...To a merry-go-round!...Where's the horse...For a kid that's black?”

Analysis:
I chose these lines because, though it seems discombobulated, each one resonates with me in some way.  Langston Hughes was an influencer through his writing: not only did he write poems, he expressed the point of view and hardships of many people.  Through my life, the hardships I may face, will remind me of how Hughes became a leader by writing his way through constant pressure and discrimination from people.  He stuck to his values which led to the popularity of his poems, and how relatable his writings were to people.  He was not afraid to write about issues no matter what people wanted him to write about or what they thought about him.  He wrote about real problems with no censorship, which made his poems so great.  Hughes is an influence to many people, and there is no wonder why.

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Frances Ellen

Watkins Harper

Novelist, poet, short story writer

Essayist, journalist, orator, activist

Child of free black parents

= Minority

Forced to attend an all-black school

= Minority

Risked blood and freedom to help slaves escape

Pushed limits

Became a school teacher in Ohio and Pennsylvania

Persevered, married and a mother

Broke barriers

Published the first short story by an African American

= Minority

Strong abolitionist - anti-slavery

Devoted to the Underground Railroad

Minority = Power

Quotes:
"We are all bound up together in one great bundle of humanity, and society cannot trample on the weakest and feeblest of its members without receiving the curse in its own soul."
"Slavery is dead, but the spirit which animated it still lives."
"The respect that is only bought by gold is not worth much"
"Apparent failure may hold in its rough shell the germs of a success that will blossom in time, and bear fruit throughout eternity."

Analysis:
These lines and quotes mean so much for an African-American woman in that time period. Frances Ellen Watkins Harper is an incredibly influential and inspiring African-American woman. She broke barriers and changed the world to become a better version of itself. She witnessed the horror of slavery firsthand and devoted herself to anti-slavery, abolitionism, and helping slaves escape through the Underground Railroad. She is a truly incredible figure in U.S. history.

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I Am Not The Average Black Girl by Morgan Drakes

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I Am Not The Average Black Girl by Morgan Drakes

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They say I’m not the average black girl because I'm so well-spoken

I'm not the average black girl because the pigment in my skin is just a shade lighter than that black girl over there

Who’s hearts and heads are filled up with self-hate and bottled up emotion

Because no matter how good they straighten their hair, their good is still not good enough

You know just a little bit of attitude because you don’t want to come off as one of those average black girls and come off as rude

Oh it must be a weave or she must be mixed because we all know the average black girl ain't got that

See the average black girl that I know made 19 trips down the underground railroad to free the slaves

Sat on segregated buses, refused to get up, and paved new ways

Excuse me while I set fire to poem on my pin because I am tired

I am tired

I am tired

Tired of the stereotypes that black girls have fallen into because of the American mentality

But not half as tired as Ella Baker, Diane Nash, Septima Poinsette Clark

So pardon me if I can’t openly accept your compliments

It's just that the average black girl that I know had the courage that surpassed her every fear and fought for justice and equality year after year

Pardon me while I shed a tear because I’m not half the black girl she was

No, I’m not the average black girl, I can only aspire to be

Analysis:
These words that were spoken by Ernestine Morrison were so powerful and honestly, completely true. As a black girl in American society or any person in American society, there is often a stereotype that you are associated with. For black girls, these stereotypes continue to grow throughout time. The “average black girl”, in many people's minds, seems to be loud, ghetto, nappy hair, incorrect grammar, and rude. When Ernestine Morrison was creating her poem, she wanted to express the fact that this is not what the “average black girl” is. She is saying that the average black is someone who fights for what they believe in. The average black girl is someone who does not put up with being treated anything less than another person. The meaning of this poem is that the stereotype of the “average black girl” is nowhere near what the actual average black girl is. The poem is saying that the average black girl is someone that nobody should even begin to compare to something else. Women like Ella Baker and Septima Poinsette Clark are what the average black girl should be known as. Women who didn’t give up on fighting for equality and their rights. The poem is saying that everyone should be using what the “average black girl” has taught us. We should be looking up to them. I chose these words because it is a valuable lesson for everyone to learn. It is a necessity for not just little black girls, but everyone to understand that the stereotypes that are put in place today, are just labels that undermine the subject itself. People should not be using certain stereotypes to cloud their judgment on certain races and types of people. They should recognize them for what they really are.

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The real world doesn't go away

Racism exists

People are getting hurt

And just because it's not happening to you, doesn't mean it's not happening.

Language, even more than color, defines who you are to people.

Language brings with it an identity and a culture, or at least the perception of it.

—a knowledgeable man is a free man or at least a man who longs for freedom.

We spend so much time being afraid of failure, afraid of rejection. But regret is the thing we should fear most.

I know that I cannot change the entire world, but I've always believed I can at least affect change in my world.

People love to say, “Give a man a fish, and he’ll eat for a day.

Teach a man to fish, and he’ll eat for a lifetime.”

What they don’t say is, “And it would be nice if you gave him a fishing rod.”

That’s the part of the analogy that’s missing.

I decided to use these lines because they all express and represent the type of world we live in. The first line stood out to me because it is a rule we have been learning ever since we were in kindergarten. Our actions can impact others but we don't always see the effects. We don't know how someone's life is outside of school or outside of the place we see them is, and the actions of people towards a person can impact them very deeply. The third line is something that has been proved throughout history and is still proven in the world today. Racism exists and even though you might not experience it, it does not mean it is not out there. People tend to ignore certain things if it  does not involve them or they have never experienced it, but it simply is not right. Acknowledging issues like racism is very important because by ignoring them, you are not helping anyone, not even yourself. Trevor Noah is not afraid to bring attention to many world issues. In his book, he mentions racism quite a bit because of how common it was in South Africa. In the book, we also learn a lot about his life and we get many inspirational and truthful quotes. The quotes I used in the poem are the ones that stood out to me the most because they all have a deeper meaning to them. He incorporates comedy into many of the stories he tells in his book in order to lighten the mood and this is what he is known for. Talking about world issues while incorporating comical elements is something he does best.

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Now I Got The Crazy Blues by Carmina Rojas

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Now I Got The Crazy Blues by Carmina Rojas

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“I can’t sleep at night.”

Mamie Smith made music history in 1920

when she stepped into a studio to lay down

“Crazy Blues...”

First blues song on record.

75,000 copies after only a few months.

“He makes me feel so blue,

I don’t know what to do.”

Glamorous and multi-talented entertainer,

performing on stage and in film.

Commanding stage manner and luxurious self-presentation.

Influenced the development of urban concert blues

“Now I got the crazy blues.”

“Miss Smith walked out on that stage

and I could not breathe for a minute.”

“She threw those big sparkling eyes on us

with that lovely smile showing those pearly white teeth

with a diamond the size of one of her teeth.”

“I ain’t got nothing but bad news.”

Blazed the trail for some of the best-known African-American musicians of all.

“Now I got the

crazy blues.”

Analysis:

These lines, to me, demonstrate Mamie Smith’s greatest achievements and effect she had on her audience. The lines italicized and put in quotes, including the first line, are taken from “Crazy Blues,” her most famous song, displaying the art of her words she sang. The poem then goes on to talk about the great success of this song, stating how many copies it sold and showing its significance as the first blues song to be recorded. Afterwards, the lines speak on Smith as a performer. This illustrates her talents and incomparable stage presence, one of the many qualities of her. With that, using a direct quote someone who watched Mamie Smith perform, it shows her apparent impact on those who watched her- the way she took people’s breath away by simply walking on her stage. Mamie Smith, as a whole, was an influential African-American woman who broke boundaries in the music industry, and using this poem, it outlines this idea.

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One of the Realest: Allen Iverson by John Caplanis

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One of the Realest: Allen Iverson by John Caplanis

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Stylistically speaking, there may not be an NBA player who’s had a greater impact on the culture of the NBA than Allen Iverson

In reality, NBA players were emulating a style prevalent outside the NBA, but Iverson helped usher it into the league.

“I was bothered by it, because I felt like they were targeting people that dressed like me … We been wanting to dress like how we want, but we just felt like we couldn’t.”

They were picking on me, obviously, if they let these guys wear what they wear now.”

Iverson’s impact on the league is still felt to this day.

Above all else, Allen Iverson was nothing but real.

Here was a 170-pound, 6-foot speed demon with cornrows and a waterfall of chains flowing down from his neck, covered with tattoos and exuding the bravado of someone 10-feet tall.

Iverson stayed true to himself - in the process, making headlines for the wrong reasons

his rebellious nature redefined what it meant to be a superstar in the NBA.

He was just a kid from one of the roughest places in America who grew up being himself, and when he made some money, he stayed himself.

He didn’t have some sort of a grand agenda.

Listening to AI’s interviews leaves little doubt that Iverson was never looking a fight with anyone, nor David Stern in particular. He was just in his own lane.

Analysis

I picked these sentences because it shows how Allen Iverson persevered during times where he faced lots of backlash and never changed his ideals and only tried to change things because he thought it was right, not for self benefit. The reason why his decision to represent his clothing style has such deep meaning is because he felt as if the style of clothing was part of his along with others culture and he was facing backlash as people were claiming it was gangster clothing, clothing from people from the ghetto, etc. He thought that he was getting targeted for the way he dressed and people from his culture did but that didn’t stop him it empowered him even further. Although Allen Iverson was relatively small compared to other people, especially in the NBA his personality was bigger and stood out more than a giants. Like what the quotes said, Allen Iverson stayed true to himself during his basketball career and after.