Nikki-Rosa by Nikki Giovanni
In ‘Nikki-Rosa,’ Nikki Giovanni explores her experiences while growing up in a closely-knit black community in 1950s America.
But He Was Cool, or: he even stopped for green lights by Haki R. Madhubuti
‘But He Was Cool,or: he even stopped for green lights’ is one of the best-known poems of Haki R. Madhubuti. This piece explores what it means to be “cool” for an African-American.
Black Nikes by Harryette Mullen
‘Black Nikes,’ a poem by the American poet Harryette Mullen, was first published in Santa Monica Review (1997). This poem records a metaphorical journey of black people to stars.
Primer for Blacks by Gwendolyn Brooks
‘Primer For Blacks’ by Gwendolyn Brooks speaks on the necessity of accepting one’s black heritage and a possible unified future for all black people.
I Give You Thanks My God by Bernard Dadié
‘I Give You Thanks My God’ by Bernard Dadié describes the nature of blackness and the speaker’s gratitude for the strength to carry the world.
The Little Black Boy by William Blake
‘The Little Black Boy’ by William Blake is a difficult poem. It delves into topics of race, racism, and slavery from the perspective of an 18th-century poet.
I, Too, Sing America by Langston Hughes
Langston Hughes’ poem ‘I, Too, Sing America’ is an incredibly personal poem Hughes wrote, highlighting American Society and a Black man’s experience in it.
Harlem (A Dream Deferred) by Langston Hughes
‘Harlem (A Dream Deferred)’ by Langston Hughes is a powerful poem. The poet wrote it in response to what he felt as a black man navigating a career and personal life in a white-dominated world.