A seven-year-old speaks out (Another Maya Angelou!)

Afro.Com ^ | 3/22/2006 | Staff

[FerdieMurphy]

The poem by seven–year-old Autum Ashante ”White Nationalism Put U in Bondage,” has caused quite a stir in some circles but it shouldn’t have.

It is the truth and Blacks who read their history know it is. The fact that the Pikesville, N.Y. school system has banned this young child from performing without doing its homework, is an indication of how little history our children are learning in our schools about what really happened in this country from slavery days to the present.

Autum, the daughter of a Nation of Islam poet and activist, is no stranger to the Black community. She has performed at HBO's Def Poetry Jam, The Cotton Club in L.A., The Apollo Theater in Harlem, the African Street Festival, Caroline's on Broadway, the Russell Simmons Phat Farm Fashion Show, Steve Harvey's "Big Time," a prestigious Grammy Foundation event, and at universities.

She recites her verses in English, and fluently in Swahili and Arabic (she attended the Islamic Darul Arkam School in Mount Vernon).

According to various sources on the internet she has also appeared at a tribute to Black Nationalist Marcus Garvey, at Amiri Baraka's annual family cookout, and at the New Black Panther Party's Million Youth March. It was also reported that the city of New York presented her a proclamation for inspiring "her peers, as well as adults, while also demonstrating the power of a father’s love, the importance of education and the limitless boundaries of the human mind."

New York City councilwoman Yvette Clark reportedly called her "one of the most precious young talents that this world has ever known."

Here is the poem she was invited to perform for Pikesville middle and high school students during Black History Month, which has made her more popular than ever. Does it lie?

White Nationalism Put U In Bondage

White nationalism is what put you in bondage

Pirate and vampires like Columbus, Morgan, and Darwin Drank the blood of the sheep, trampled all over them with

Steel, tricks and deceit.

Nothing has changed take a look in our streets

The mis-education of she and Hegro -- leaves you on your knee2grow

Black lands taken from your hands, by vampires with no remorse

They took the gold, the wisdom and all of the storytellers

They took the black women, with the black man weak

Made to watch as they changed the paradigm Of our village

They killed the blind, they killed the lazy, they went So far as to kill the unborn baby

Yeah White nationalism is what put you in bondage

Pirates and vampires like Columbus, Morgan, and Darwin They drank the blood of the sheep, trampled all over them with

Steel laden feet, throw in the tricks alcohol and deceit.

Nothing has changed take a look at our streets.

This well-educated talented girl who remind you, is only seven-years-old, speaks four languages, and has been reading since she was two-years-old, asked all of the white students to remain in their seats and asked the other children to stand and recite this pledge:

"Black Child's Pledge," which reads in part:

I pledge allegiance to my Black People.

I pledge to develop my mind and body to the greatest extent possible.

I will learn all that I can in order to give my best to my People in their struggle for liberation.

…I will discipline myself to direct my energies

thoughtfully and constructively rather than wasting them in idle hatred…

I will train myself never to hurt or allow others to harm my Black brothers and sisters…

These principles I pledge to practice daily and to teach them to others

in order to unite my People.

If this has been done before an all Black audience as it has been done in the past, there would have been nothing but the usual applause. But the fact that it was done in a mixed audience has drawn outrage from both students and parents. Therefore, the school sent out a tape recorded message to over 3,000 parents “apologizing” for inviting this young child to speak. Obviously they felt threatened by allowing their children to hear a poem about history. How much better it would have been if these Pikesville students had been briefed before Autum appeared, and then afterwards been given an opportunity to dissect the poem and connect it to historical facts. History is history. It has happened. It can’t be changed. We just want others to know the true facts so that it will not be repeated for any other race of people. The bottom line is that the children who heard Autum will not soon forget the presentation. And that is good. Those who want to apologize for her appearance should remember one thing, we who have suffered because of slavery. And we have long past the day of hiding the true facts about slavery and today’s racism in America. For that we thank Autum for speaking out.

[massgopguy]

OH, I was wondering who Darwin Drank was.

[7thOF7th]

I am the decedent of white Irish slaves, I wonder if the underachieving Africans can twist that into their poppycock!

[pandoraou812]

My mother taught me about gardening from the time I could walk. Now that shes gone I treasure each warm sunny day when I can get outside and work with my garden and think of her.

[Revel]

If you want to see barbaric then just look at what the Africans have done to the whites in there country. Just look at the shambles that Africa is in right now.

[steel_resolve]

Well, if it's not THE Darwin, I'm sure it's just another racist cracker tryin ta hold the black man down.

[D-Chivas]

Dark and lonely on a summer's night.
Kill my landlord. Kill my landlord.
Watchdog barking. Do he bite?
Kill my landlord. Kill my landlord.
Slip in his window. Break his neck.
Then his house I start to wreck.
Got no reason. What the heck?
Kill my landlord. Kill my landlord.
C-I-L my land lord!

OMIGOD, I was thinking the exact same thing after reading that "poem"