Although Black History Month is coming to a close, we must remember that the influence of Black art and culture in the poetry world and the world beyond deserves acknowledgement and utmost appreciation 24/7/365. We mustn't forget nor discard the contributions that Black authors have made to the writing world, nor the ways Black poets have used their writing voices to pave paths towards representation in a creative world that lacks the centering of Black experiences in celebrated poetry.

When we think of Black poets, most often, the eras of the Harlem Renaissance and Civil Rights Movements throughout the 1950s and 60s come to mind. In reality, Black poets have been writing verse reflective of their experiences in America as early as the American Revolution, with just a few examples being Jupiter Hammon (1711-1800), Lucy Terry (1730-1821), and Phillis Wheatley (1753-1784).

Before this white-washing of history, African poetry had long existed in the Motherland, spanning the continent with scripts documenting the kings and queens of Ethiopia and Ghana. A selection of traditional ancient African poems can be found in Margaret Busby's 1992 anthology Daughters of Africa. Art, in all its forms, including poetry, was essential in preserving the spirit and dignity of African people as oppressors stripped Black people of their freedom. Jupiter Hammon wrote religious poems as an enslaved person and, in his writings, longed for salvation from this world.

Though his real name was taken from him, along with his humanity, Hammon put a light to what hope and perseverance he had remaining, and let it shine through in his poem titled, "An Essay on Slavery, with submission to Divine providence, knowing that God Rules over all things" (November 10th, 1786), that I encourage all to read for an eye-opening perspective on how poetry can act as a reclamation of power in even the most atrocious periods of history.

Excerpt from Hammon's poem:

Although we came from Africa

We look unto our God

To help with our hearts to sigh and pray

And Love his holy word

Although we are in slavery

Bound by the yoke of Man

We must always have a single Eye

And do the best we can.

Black art, Black spirit, Black love, and Black people are not to be celebrated just once a month, especially not for the profit or for the patting yourself on the back for wishing your coworker a Happy Black History Month. As lovers of poetry, it is our obligation to know its history, and that includes the historical Black writers who paved their own way. As a Black woman and poet myself, I know how much representation matters. How are we to move forward and progress in a growingly culturally diverse writing world if we are not aware of the ground we are standing on, nor the roots beneath it?

We owe it not only to the Black community, but to ourselves to become admirers of the Black and brown poets who came before us, who are with us today, and who are on their way to being in this world and changing it for the better. Black History Month might end, but Black History never does. Read it, and remember it. Make your knowledge and activism real, not a performance.

And to the Black and brown poets, know how important your voice is, even when it feels like the world might be trying to silence you. You have a right and an obligation to tell your story freely and fully in whatever way you please.

On that note, I will end with a short piece from Etheridge Knight (who, if you don't know, do your research now!) that I feel perfectly encapsulates the power and magic of being a poet no matter who you are, no matter where you are, no matter what you're going through, and no matter how much or how little you have. Your voice matters.

"On the Projects Playground"

Say, Mister!

Uh-huh?

You a poet / man?

Uh-huh, uh-huh.

Me too.

Uh-huh, uh-huh!

Faith-Marie McHenry is a junior at Sarah Lawrence College, concentrating on creative writing and cultural studies. She couldn’t imagine a world without poetry and has been writing for her sanity since was a preteen. When not writing, you can find her singing karaoke, walking by the Bronx River, or on a shopping spree. Since 2023, she has been an editor for Sarah Lawrence’s literary magazine, Love & Squalor.

References:
Hammon, Jupiter, Cedrick May, and Julie Mccown. 2013. “‘An Essay on Slavery’: An Unpublished Poem.” 1 American Literature 48 (2): 457–71. https://preservationlongisland.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Cedrick May_An-Essay-on-Slavery-An-Unpublished-Poem-by-Jupiter-Hammon.pdf.

Knight, Etheridge. 1986. The Essential Etheridge Knight. University Of Pittsburgh Press.