by Anonymous
In the month of February, each year, we take time
To celebrate and honor a legacy sublime
A history that’s often overlooked and ignored
But that is an ignorance America can’t afford
Black History Month — a time to reflect
On the struggles and triumphs that we must not neglect
The Civil Rights Movement to the Harlem Renaissance —
To such crucial imperatives we say No! to nonchalance
MLK and Malcolm X, Rosa Parks, Sojourner Truth
Baldwin, Dubois, and Ruby Bridges — a 6-year-old youth!
Add Maya Angelou, Thurgood Marshall, and Langston Hughes too
Nina Simone, Claudette Colvin, Medgar Evers — to mention a few
Despite oppression and prejudice each one of them faced
They continued to fight and leave their indelible trace
And MLK Jr. inspired an all-embracing dream,
Content of character, it’s like an illuminated beam
We are reminded what King said about front-facing racism
Yes, we can legislate but there’s another sort of dynamism
He said we must reform hearts, that too is his message
And we know that both pathways unite as a presage
A warning that he knew held wisdom’s radiant jewels
That violence, hate, and division are but elites’ favored tools
And that “we must learn to live together as brothers
Or perish as fools” — like a ship without rudders
Allah tells us that nations and tribes were created
That we should know one another, a richness anticipated
And so we celebrate Black History Month once again
Bringing promise of justice for all women and men
