Benjamin Banneker: An American Pioneer
Thursday February 21, 2008
Benjamin Banneker made his mark on history with his contributions to astronomy, science, and math. He became known for building the first wooden clock, his almanacs, and for his part in building the capital city. Most notable about his accomplishments was that despite racial constraints and little formal education, he was a self-taught man. By the end of his life, his achievements were well known around the world.
Image courtesy of The National Archives.
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Black History Month
The cries of the weak and helpless are heard from the shore,
To a ship bound for the America’s under the master’s roar,
“Up the anchor, set all sails, let this profitable journey begin,”
With a laugh, “you’re safety’s temporary, we’ll be back again.”
If today’s descendants of slavery had a small idea, if they only knew,
For freedom the daily struggles their ancestors had to go through,
There could never be a class to prepare or nothing you’d ever do,
Black kids would realize wearing pants below the butt, is not cool.
February’s the selected month celebrating what’s called Black History,
Why we only have one and not all twelve is an even bigger mystery,
Not that I’m in denial about the planting & harvest of Blacks as slaves,
But, is there really that much difference between now and yesterday?
And if there truly is then how come African Americans don’t rejoice,
Exercising this freedom in the form of voting, we died for this choice,
Doing well in school, obeying parents, seeking to expand and excel,
The 21st century practice of bondage is simply none other than jail.
Preaching at county lock-up, Pastor Bradford said it breaks his heart,
Every Monday like clockwork, a sermon, encouraging fresh new starts,
Reverend Rodgers and his crew at the City Mission, some really do care,
Sister Williams at Giddings Elementary, everyday up and down the stairs.
This month is more than the exploits of Harriet Tubman, Martin Luther King,
It’s about the everyday pride of our history to each other we excitedly bring,
After the day is over, chores are done, are you willing to answer the call?
Black America is more than hip-hop rappers or playground basketball.
There’s big money in entertainment and sports, millions earned and paid,
Truth is that many of our people still have to struggle with minimum wage,
Back History is more than meager celebrations, a speech or gala parades,
It’s Black Americans presenting ourselves as examples every single day.
Plantations, cotton fields, whipped, raped, hung, 24/7, cruelty didn’t tarry,
Slavery was the backbone of building this country & all we get is February?
Who was responsible for the crops, creating growth, centuries of hard work?
As breath of life left our bodies we weren’t allowed burial in the same dirt.
Slaves taught each other to read, began to study the bible, reaching for the stars,
The 13th Amendment doesn’t mean smoking, using drugs or hanging out in bars,
Considered property a typical comment about our race is that we would never grow,
It’s those latter two words combined which are used to identify our race as Negro.
2008, we’ve more than paid the price with mountains of blood, sweat & tears,
It’s time to stop setting aside one month and start recognizing us by years,
Yowza master, yessir boss, are these times actually many decades in the past?
If we continue killing, disrespecting our own race then only days will we last.
Poems by Luke Easter
yet just another lost fact. SHAME ON AMERICA! sHAME ON US TO FOR NOT DOING ANYTHING ABOUT IT! blacks deserve to be included in historty too!
shame on you
this article is awsome i love it