Resistance Day

Today’s the day we pay homage to those who said,

NO!

I was never taught
that we fought back
I was told we were cursed
for being black
that we just sang and
went along.

(But, they didn’t know the power in that
song.)

Swing low, sweet chariot
coming for to carry me
home.
Today is the day we’ve begun
to learn how we DID resist
in more ways than one.
We sang messages of flight
we sewed quilts to give
directions to the
Light.

Non-violent protest some did well…
dog-bit
police-hit
people-spit
head-split
knocked down
kicked around
jail-bound
must have been a living hell…

Armed struggle,
some went that way
Nat Turner was one
who seized the day.

Got a gun
was on the run
revolt begun


Saw the light
had to fight
for the right
just
to be
free.


We found many ways to say
Hell no!

the poem
the essay
the dance
the play

Hell no!

the movie
the prayer
the music
the stare

Hell no!

Today is Resistance Day!
Celebrate those who came our way!

Cinque on The Amistad
Kwame Nkrumah revolutionary god
Harriet Tubman said run or die
John Brown, the white man asked, “Why?”
Bob Marley sang a redemption song
Fredrick Douglas wrote to right the wrong
Jonathan Jackson tried to free brother George
Angela Davis took the guns across the gorge
Chuck D said, “fight the power!”
Malcolm was on point every hour
John Carlos raised a Black glove
ML King tried to teach love
Arthur Ashe kept it real
Nation Of Islam said don’t steal
Fred Hampton murdered in his bed
Assata Shakur: one cop dead
Mumia Abu Jamal still on death row
Marcus Garvey said it’s time to go
Chuckie Afirca was on the MOVE
Gil Scott-Heron sang a protest groove
Countless, faceless, nameless others
who died to free our sisters and brothers

Today is Resistance Day!

© 2004 swing first productions