(A Poem Commemorating the 10th Anniversary of the
Slave Memorial of Mount Vernon)

No one asked us…what we thought of Jamestown…in 
1619…they didn’t even say…”Welcome”…”You’re Home”…
or even a pitiful…”I’m sorry…but we just can’t make it…
without you”…No…No one said a word…They just snatched 
our drums…separated us by language and gender…and put us 
on blocks…where our beauty…like our dignity…was 
ignored.

No one said a word…in 1776…to us about Freedom…The 
rebels wouldn’t pretend…the British lied…We kept to a 
space…where we owned our souls…since we understood…
another century would pass…before we owned our bodies…
But we raised our voices…in a mighty cry…to the Heavens 
above…for the strength to endure.

No one says…”What I like about your people”…then ticks off 
the wonder of the wonderful things…we’ve given…Our song 
to God, Our strength to the Earth…our unfailing belief in for-
giveness…I know what I like about us…is that we let no one 
turn us around…not then…not now…we plant our feet…
on higher ground…I like who we were…and who we are…
and since someone has asked…let me say; I am proud to be a 
Black American…I am proud that my people labored hon-
estly…with forbearance and dignity…I am proud that we 
believe…as no other people do…that all are equal in His 
sight…We didn’t write a constitution…we live one…We 
didn’t say “We the People”…we are one…We didn’t have to 
add…as an after-thought…”Under God”…We turn our 
faces to the rising sun…knowing…a New Day…is 
always…beginning