OH, BLACK MEN

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“If we accept and acquiesce in the face of discrimination, we accept the responsibility ourselves and allow those responsible to salve their conscience by believing that they have our acceptance and concurrence. We should, therefore, protest openly everything… that smacks of discrimination or slander.”

- Mary McLeod Bethune

STRONG BLACK MEN

Forged from the dust of this earth

It is YOUR RIGHT to be SEEN and

It is YOUR RIGHT to be HEARD.

The GREATNESS in YOUR COLOR

The EXCELLENCE in YOUR CHARACTER

The RESILENCE in YOUR VOICE

They still thought they took YOUR CHOICE!

This is why they HATE YOU

Because in the STRENGTH of your FIST, the SHEDDING of your TEARS, in the BROKENNESS of your HEART, and your FEET in unison on a pavement drenched with the blood of our BLACK MEN

THEY SEE OUR ANCESTORS

IN YOU

REFUSING to DIE at the HANDS of an UNWORTHY OPPONENT

DO NOT BE AFRAID OH BLACK MEN!

Because their voices are still rising HIGH UP TODAY

They thought they had SILENCED us with the rage, aggression, lynching, and murders

They thought they still had power over us today

So they lock us in prisons and kill us in our homes

As a justifiable means, they say...

Upsetting the wombs of mothers who travailed and bore you OH BLACK MAN

FIND YOUR STRENGTH TODAY!

BECAUSE YOU ARE UNMATCHED

BECAUSE YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL

BECAUSE YOU ARE UNDENIABLE

AND BECAUSE YOU ARE STRONG

So, as you RISE from the CRIES of OPPRESSION and the TORMENT of GENOCIDE

From the BURNING FLAMES of IGNORANCE

DO NOT BE AFRAID, OH BLACK MEN!

LOVE LIVES WHERE YOU ARE!

And what you are STANDING FOR TODAY

IS YOUR UNDENIABLE RIGHT TO LIFE, LIBERTY, AND HAPPINESS

DO NOT BE AFRAID OH, BLACK MEN

YOU ARE NOT ALONE

THE FORCE OF THE BLACK WOMEN STAND WITH YOU to TAKE BACK what

THEY STOLE FROM US!!

Kerique Hoo-Kim