Langston Hughes 14/29

| 20 February, 2012 18:23

 

Acrylic Portrait

29      BLACK      PEOPLE      YOU      SHOULD      KNOW!

Before Jay Z and lil Wayne, there was Langston Hughes. 

I dream a world where man
No other man will scorn,
Where love will bless the earth
And peace its paths adorn.
I dream a world where all
Will know sweet freedom's way,
Where greed no longer saps the soul
Nor avarice blights our day.
A world I dream where black or white,
Whatever race you be,
Will share the bounties of the earth
And every man is free,
Where wretchedness will hang its head
And joy, like a pearl,
Attends the needs of all mankind--
Of such I dream, my world!


I Too, Dream a World-What world do you dream of? Is your Dream Deferred? Do you suffer The Weary Blues? I thought of myself like
Negroes Speaks of Rivers. So excited, February was like a Harlem Renaissance! 
So many options in The Big Sea of subjects of tribute! I Too, am encouraged!

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Ain't I a Woman! ...(no question marks here!) 13/29

| 20 February, 2012 13:41

Acrylic Portrait

29      BLACK      PEOPLE      YOU      SHOULD      KNOW!

 SoJourner Truth spoke, and many listened. Her experiences of life, rooted in courage and pain and strength. Sojourner, I don't believe, prided herself on the individual nuances that made her a woman. She enveloped her Truth in all that made her; Diligence, Intelligence, Courage, an undaunted Will and Conviction, and an almost seething beauty. A beauty that permeates through her words. It is that beauty, the beauty of her words, that endures. Sojourner Truth's words still inspire. Sojourner's words still stir the soul:

  • On Heaven and Hell; ...The newspapers of my childhood used to have pictures of hell. I bought one once in New York, and there was one whole side covered with such a picture. On one side there was a narrow stair leading to heaven and the rest of the picture was a terrible abyss, with smoke rising up out of it, and numberless human beings swimming around in the flames. Then there was the old Evil One, with a long snout and a tail, stirring the others up with a pitchfork and I gazed upon that picture, I said, "My God, that is hell, sure 'nuff." There are probably persons here who can remember these things. As I got older I found out that there wasn't no such thing as hell, and that the narrow stairs only showed the narrowness of the mind that conceived the picture. I have found out and know that God's brightness and goodness and glory is hot enough to scorch all the sinners in the world.

 

  • 'Ain't I A Woman'; ...“Dat man ober dar say dat womin needs to be helped into carriages, and lifted ober ditches, and to hab de best place everywhar. Nobody eber helps me into carriages, or ober mud-puddles, or gibs me any best place!” And raising herself to her full height, and her voice to a pitch like rolling thunder, she asked. "And a’n‘t I a woman? Look at me! Look at my arm! (and she bared her right arm to the shoulder, showing her tremendous muscular power). I have ploughed, and planted, and gathered into barns, and no man could head me! And a’n’t I a woman? I could work as much and eat as much as a man—when I could get it—and bear de lash as well! And a’n‘t I a woman? I have borne thirteen chilern, and seen ’em mos‘ all sold off to slavery, and when I cried out with my mother’s grief, none but Jesus heard me! And a’n’t I a woman?

Join her. Join us.

 

Bid.

Contribute.

Be Counted.

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