We named a street after Martin Luther King so you can
Shut up!
We’re renovating the Grand Theatre—all are welcome not like when it opened
Shut up!
We hired blacks in our factories okay the Feds made us but
Shut up!
We ended discrimination in our stores and restaurants ergo
Shut up!
We don’t redline anymore… mostly I think anyway
Shut up!
Are you black I don’t see color I see the person and you can
Shut up!
We reach out to you ask you questions why can’t you get over it so
Shut up!
We didn’t own slaves…our forefathers did but hey
Shut up!
We earned our way why can’t you
Shut up!
Africans owned slaves like everybody else… except me
Shut up!
Respect the police okay a rogue or two shot you just get over it
Shut Up!
There will never be a black mayor blacks can’t lead just saying
Shut up!
Superintendent J. B. Johnson: blacks don’t value education but but but now he gone so you
Shut up!
About Eugene Jones Baldwin
I am a writer: non-fiction, fiction, journalism (Alton Telegraph), essays (The Genehouse Chronicles) and have a website: eugenebaldwin.com. I've published a couple dozen short stories and had eleven plays produced. Current projects: "Brother of the Stones" (available on Kindle), a book of short stories; "The Faithful Husband of the Rain, short stories"; "A Black Soldier's Letters Home, WWII,;" "There is No Color in Justice," a commentary on racism; "Ratkillers," a new play.
I am an avocational archaeologist and I take parts of my collection of several thousand Indian artifacts (personal finds) to schools, nature centers, libraries etc. and talk about the 20,000 year history of The First people in Illinois. (See link to website)
I'm also a playwright (eleven plays produced), musician, historian (authority on the Underground Railroad in Illinois, the Tuskegee Airmen) and teacher.
God ol’ J.B.q Not the Pritzker version, surely did bluster and re ule Alton,Illnois schools. B3fore our teachers union, before the AEA, Johnson would meet with every teacher privately to n3gotiate that teacher’s salary. I don’t know what elswe was negotiated, That would be a project for a writer to research, wouldn’t it!