‘And you are not the guy and still you fit the description because there is only one guy who is always the guy fitting the description.’
– Claudia Rankine, ‘CITIZEN’ – An American Lyric.
One of the most lasting ways we can make a difference and support the Black Lives Matter Movement is through EDUCATION.
We each have a moral responsibility to educate ourselves first and foremost and then begin sharing what we learn with our family, friends and our neighbours. It is important to stay informed and tackle our own internal ignorance by engaging with the world outside of our own bubbles, especially during these testing times.
Racism and prejudice has a long and complex history throughout the world and there is no denying it. There is a wide plethora of information and resources available out there, written and published by members of the Black community specifically made for the purpose of education. From academic essays to articles, literature to the media and film industry, there are absolutely tons of ways to educate oneself nowadays on the Black Lives Matter movement and beyond (to which I will link to a database of resources here and toolkits from the Black lives Matter official website here.)
In a world where representation in the media of BAME is scarcely positive, it is vital that we champion and listen to ethnic minority voices, especially from the Black community, instead of trying to talk over them or on behalf of them.
One avenue into trying to learn more about the many struggles behind the BLM movement in particular, which I have personally found to be very helpful and eye-opening, is through the power of poetry.
And one might ask with all the ways of educating one self, why pick Poetry of all things?
What’s so special about Poetry?
Well, poetry is accessible to people of all backgrounds and pursuits. It captures thoughts in short, pithy lines and so there’s really no excuse not to indulge in it throughout our busy lives. Poetry is ORDINARY. Poetry is HISTORICAL. And most importantly Poetry is POWERFUL. There is something about the gems that lie hidden at the verses of poetry that can be conveyed arguably in a vastly more meaningful and more effective format than novels or non-fiction. And why is that?
Because poetry appeals straight to the HEART.
It skips the introductions and the plot lines and goes straight in for the juicy bits, the complex, emotional, messy stuff.
While poetry may seem like an unconventional and less ‘academic’ choice for learning, it is actually a very beautiful tool for understanding more about real people’s raw experiences and struggles, behind just cold numbers and statistics. Poetry opens the doors for empathy and useful discussion, allowing one’s sometimes intangible thoughts and emotions to be processed and expressed in a more tangible way.
Ok, ok, enough preaching about poetry from a rambling English major (who could honestly go on about it for days…)
Where can I find some good poetry resources for educating myself on the Black Lives Matter Movement?
There are so many talented artists, writers and poets out there who have produced work which is particularly relevant to the current reawakening of the Black Lives Matter movement. Sonia Sanchez, Linton Kwesi Johnson, Ross Gay, Jericho Brown, Danez Smith, Amanda Johnston to name a few. And because I don’t think black poets get nearly enough recognition or love, here is a more comprehensive list of many amazing poets for you and I to get to know, as well as some of their Black Lives Matter poetry.
There is one anthology in particular however, that I wanted to give an extra shout-out to and highlight, and that’s Claudia Rankine’s ‘Citizen – An American Lyric’, because I think it especially hits the nail on its head. Her work is so pertinent and enlightening, especially in resonance with the recent murder of George Floyd and the current police brutality ensuing throughout the world.
Rankine’s anthology is a compilation of experiences from many Black Americans and it explores many aspects of their experiences from racial discrimination in the workplace, racial profiling on the streets through ‘stop and search’, to prejudices experienced by the world renowned tennis player, Serena Williams, live on the court.
Rankine’s collection brilliantly deconstructs the American notion of the individual as a distinct, impermeable and free to pursue happiness. It highlights how identities are not just subjected to the individual but all individuals are part of a much bigger history of power and imbalance.
Rankine’s poetry is also a fascinating study into the sociological manifestations of identity. She reveals several different lenses to view the self such as the ‘historical self’ and the ‘self self’. Rankine delves into the way that the black identity can be made to be paradoxically ‘invisible’ and ‘hyper-visible’ at the same time, as the identity of the individual is often dependent on perception rather than actuality.
Another thought-provoking concept which she touches upon is the way certain aspects of the black identity are commodified for profit to suit an amalgamated mould of what it means to be a Black and successful artist. Her book is a statement of dismantling these limiting stereotypes and instead paving the way for understanding the unique struggles faced by Black individuals in a world that tries to defines them all together in one box.
Rankine is the ‘Winner of the Forward Prize for Best Collection’ as well as the ‘Winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award for Poetry’ and her collection ‘Citizen’ has won ‘The New York Times Bestseller.’
The book is also accompanied with powerful and thought provoking artwork, which not only adds to the reader experience but also opens up new doors for us to celebrate and be inspired by so many more talented artists.
Citizen is one of my favourite anthologies on my shelf and I personally think it is so important for every single person alive today to read. The first time I read this book I honestly burst into tears in the middle of the tube! (Despite however socially inappropriate that may be…)
Rankine’s work evokes such an emotionally human response to the mistreatment of citizens in the United States and across the world and it so eloquently reveals the many cracks and flaws in our modern society. I think the best way to describe it in a sentence is something one of my close friends said upon her first reading of it:
“Rankine uses such beautiful words to convey such ugly truths.”
This article is by no means a complete or comprehensive answer to educating ourselves on the Black Lives Matter movement through poetry. There are so many artists and poems that could not be included or I’m yet to discover. There is always going to be more out there to learn and educate ourselves about and I think we should always be looking to learn more about a wide variety of topics.
But this article hopefully will encourage you to consider poetry as one effective way of learning more, albeit an unusual form, about the very serious issues and struggles which exist in our current society. I think it is a really useful way in to trying to better understand the subtleties of how racism and prejudice manifests in today’s world.
And so if you are looking to gain a greater insight into the importance of the Black Lives Matter movement today, I highly recommend picking up a copy of Claudia Rankine’s ‘Citizen’ as well as books from the other poets in this article as a fantastic starting point into a journey of further educating ourselves on the important issues which exist in our world today.