Black Days Of History Poem by louis rams

(10/25/12)

The black days of history that many do not know
And many refuse to accept - of how the black man
Helped AMERICA to be the greatest country yet.

They was brought here as slaves because the
Color of their skin!
But their minds was never searched to see
What lied within.

Every ethnic group that came to the states
Had many a hardship that they had to face.
Every race that came was given a derogatory name
Which they had to accept and had felt the shame.

But they all contributed to this great nation of ours
Which is now known as the greatest power.
These are just a few facts of what the blacks
Had given to this nation, and many of these
Became part of our salvation.

FACTS :) 1) john love- invented the pencil sharpener in 1897
2) Joseph lee -invented a bread making machine that mixed
The ingredients and kneaded the dough in 1895
3) Thomas l Jennings was the first African American to receive
A patent in 1821 which was for a dry cleaning process.
He used the money earned from his patent to purchase
Relatives out of slavery and support abolitionist causes.
4) madam c.j. walker (1867-1919) daughter of a former slave
Who suffered hair loss in her twenties and created hair care
Products, and allowed her to open a factory and school to
Train hundreds of black women to be economically self sufficient
And become one of the first female millionaires in U.S. history.

There is still something that burns in my heart
And when I think of it -it tears me apart
Of all the people in this great nation
That have been put to the ground
There lies one race that still lives
Way below the poverty line and
The government says there doing fine.

The "AMERICAN INDIAN" who had
Most all treaties broken and of this the
Government hasn't spoken.

Many families of five and more
Living in a shack without a door
Just a blanket to stop the wind
To me this is a crying sin.

The Indian charities having to buy
fifty five gallon drums for water
And many of them on "back order".

I know that I started writing this poem for the blacks
But on the Indian nations - I can't turn my back.
We have to help one another, for we're all
Sister and brother.

GOD BLESS US ALL

© L. RAMS