“ We will not be turned around or interrupted by intimidation because we know our inaction and inertia will be the inheritance of the next generation, become the future. Our blunders become their burdens.” (Excerpt: “The Hill We Climb”) Amanda Gorman, First National Youth Poet Laureate
Along with many, I beamed with immense pride while observing on television 22-year-old Amanda Gorman, a Los Angeles resident and Harvard graduate, deliver her hopeful poem, “The Hill We Climb” at the 46th president’s swearing-in ceremony in Washington, D.C. on January 20, 2021. Gorman’s appearance at that historical event marked the beginning of Joe Biden’s term as president and Kamala Harris’ term as vice president.
The message that she artfully conveyed in her captivating oration encouraged goose bumps to rise on my arms. The euphoria that I felt prompted me to imagine what Dr. Carter G. Woodson, The father of Negro History Week, the precursor of Black History Month, might think about the idealism expressed on that memorable day by this proud daughter of the African Diaspora.
However, while Gorman’s words in the poem exude a profound sense of optimism, the Black Literature of Toni Morrison ( The Bluest Eye, Song of Solomon, Beloved), Nicole Hannah Jones (The 1619 Project), Maya Angelou (I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings), Alice Walker (The Color Purple), Ibram X. Kendi (Stamped: Racism, Antiracism), Richard Wright (Black Boy), James Baldwin (Go Tell It On The Mountain) and Zora Neal Hurston ( Their Eyes Were Watching God) has been defined as “provocative.”
Many of the attention-grabbing stories in these trailblazing books express unpopular opinions and undesirable circumstances. Consequently, the content of these “Black Treasures” annoys a steadfast population of Americans who are invested in the process of “whitewashing” stories of African Americans and denigrating the dynamic profile of a great race.
For more than 100 years, according to Banned Books by Black Authors|ACLU Massachusetts: “ Black Literature has long been a target for coordinated campaigns of censorship and repression, usually facilitated by local, state and federal government action or inaction.”
Many of the “forbidden” books reveal a disheartening portrait of America that some wish to remain hidden from the gaze of America’s most vulnerable. However, these “prohibited” books were conceived by authors who understand the meaning of the First Amendment of the U. S. Constitution:” Protection for certain liberties, including freedoms of speech, assembly and religion.”
U.S. Representative Jamie Raskin(D-MD) said: “The escalating crisis of book bans across our country in recent years is a direct attack on First Amendment rights and should concern everyone who believes freedom of expression and the freedom to read are essential to a strong democracy. The sinister efforts to remove books from schools and libraries are a hallmark of authoritarian regimes.”
It is reassuring to learn that “educators are pushing back against those who want to censor literature.” In The Freedom to Read and Learn: Educators Respond to Book Bans, Brenda Alvarez writes: “Students should have access to resources that help them better understand the lives, cultures, and experiences of different people.” Alvarez continues: “Across the country, certain politicians and parent groups continue to distract, fuel fear, and divide citizens by challenging books that represent marginalized and oppressed people.” Moreover, the current political climate is challenging the teaching of Black History because there are some who benefit from the miseducation of the most vulnerable.
Dr. Roger C. Williams, Jr. is a retired principal who has an interest in history and politics. You may comment about his column by sending an email to: kcglobe@swbell.net. On the subject line put ATTN: Dr. Roger C. Williams, Jr.
