Black History Month, an annual period characterized by the celebration and recognition of Black history and culture in the United States, spans the entire month of February. For 2024, the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) selected the theme “African Americans and the Arts”. As a student of literature, I thought it was important to highlight some of the most impactful poems written by African American poets that I have encountered in my studies.
- “my dreams, my works, must wait till after hell” by Gwendolyn Brooks
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Gwendolyn Brooks undoubtedly transformed the landscape of Black female poetry during her prolific career. This poem stands out because of its ability to convey, through the simplicity of language and clever slant rhyme, the heavily politicized journey Black female poets must go on in order to protect their identity and cultivate their art.
- “Alternative Names for Black Boys” By Danez Smith
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This poem utilizes a unique listing format to delve into the experiences of Black boys in the United States during the 21st century. Smith’s ability to parallel visceral sensory images and the lived experiences of the poem’s subject matter cannot be overstated.
- “Poem for My father” by Quincey Troupe
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This poem, addressed to Quincy Troupe’s father, combines Afrocentric imagery and fast-paced narrative movement to sketch the relationship between African American father and African American son. Troupe is able to affirm the history and cultural identity of his African heritage through an experience playing baseball with his father.
- “Legacies” by Nikki Giovanni
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Like Brooks, Nikki Giovanni was a poetic force to be reckoned with during the Black Arts and Black Power movements of the 1960s. This poem examines the precariously dependent relationship between generations through an interaction between grandmother and granddaughter. Black women across United States history have fashioned their own artistic traditions through the passage of knowledge from one generation to another, a phenomenon that Giovanni complicates with discussions of self-worth and spirituality.
- “Calculus 1, 2, 3” by Brad Walrond
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This poem, published in early 2024, is a true testament to Brad Walrond’s genius. Walrond commands the page with striking images of Black boyhood and masculinity across time. He pays particular attention to how the Westernized education system model privileges whiteness and penalizes Blackness from the moment Black children enter kindergarten.