And We Rise: The Civil Rights Movement in Poems - Softcover

Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

Erica Martin (ericamartinthewriterdotcom.wordpress.com) is a freelance editor, specializing in copyediting and developmental editing, and a poet. She has always been fascinated by English, writing, and US History. And We Rise is her first book. She lives with her family in Tennessee. Follow Erica on Twitter @ericaeditor or on Instagram @erica.martin.writes.

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It’s 1877 when

Jim Crow laws say it’s

                        acceptable

                        legal

                        lawful

to segregate Blacks

&

                        whites

based on the color of

their skin.

In

                        schools

                        hospitals

                        churches

                        cemeteries

                        prisons

                        public transit

                        restaurants—-

if you were not

                        white

you were lesser

                        less than

human.

For years

&

years

&

years

&

years

nothing changed,

until 1954

when the Supreme Court reversed its decision

& ruled segregation unconstitutional.

Yet still,

nothing changed.

Because a ruling is only as effective

as its real--world execution.

the Supreme Court rules

in 1896

Blacks are

“Separate but Equal”

yet

outside

in the middle of July

in Birmingham, Alabama,

sweat drips

d

o

w

n

your forehead

your neck

your back

drenching

your shirt

your shorts

your socks

                                                                                                s e p a r a t e

                                                                                                but equal

you find a water fountain

your water fountain

and press the small rusty button

water arches

                                                up

                                                                        and out

waiting

                        for your

puck ered

                        lips

                                                                                                s e p a r a t e

                                                                                                but equal

only

it’s hot

brown

tastes like dirt

you glance around

checking for them

then

sneak a sip

from their fountain

                                                                                                                        s e p a r a t...