Who should define my race?by poet Naomi Johnson

Black History Month.

Who should define my race?

Is it the man who auctions my ancestor from a stand

and then lynches them on poisoned land.

Who should define my race?

Is it the person who labels us because of the color of

our face.

Who should define my race?

Is it the trade master who stripped us of our pride

and left our ancestors to die?

Who should define my race?

Is it the sir name that stole our heritage, identity,

and soul?

Who should define my race?

Is it the man who whipped and raped our women and

left their life in her womb then slandered her name,

which turned her dignity into shame?

Who should define my race?

Is it the slave dictator who put the mind of some

light skin blacks into thinking they are superior to

their dark counterparts thus sealing the

psychological stage of rage?

Who should define my race?

Is it the human being who demoralize and tears

down the mental unity of our home so there will not

be a strong man to support his family on his own.

Who should define my race?

Is it the racist being who conquers and divides the

unity of our man’s self-drive?

Who should define my race?

Is it the census information that was created to

categorize my people as a percentile of human disgrace.

Who should define my race?

Is it the collaborate unity of our race, who shaped

in different hues might leave some of us confused.

Because the racist man to teach us

expand his negative connotation and call each other

nigger, you people, spook, coons, colors, mixed breed,

blacks now Afro-Americans who stole from the

homeland.

Who should define my race?

Is it me who chose to label myself for what I feel,

that I am not what the dictator says I might be so that

he can put me in his distorted stereotypical

psychological penitentiary.