Black History Month. Whose history? Sure as hell, not mine. A poem for, black his-story month by author and poet, E Lloyd Kelly, called, Black man, know thyself. Here goes. Also on YouTube. 

Black man, know thyself.

Hey there Black man, do you know who you are? You have got to know who you are, black man. Or someone else will tell you who you are. And define you

Black man, know your own God. Because, while many will come to you, professing religious values and morality. Every day, in their own society, they practiced immorality, routinely.

Then there are those who talk about justice and equality, but… The last five hundred years, of the domination of Europe over the rest of the world's population, has been unjust.

Who then is going to teach our children "our history?" And I mean, the real history? Because our history, sure as hell, did not begin with slavery.

Four hundred years is a very long time to be brutalized. And de-humanized. For having to go through hell-on-Earth?What's the prize? Heaven when we die? Crush that lie.

Tell me, black man, what is your plan? Are you satisfied with just being accepted, by the other man? Who is, actually, your mortal enemy? Or will you rise up, stand up. And pursue your own freedom. And your dignity?

Where is the black man's vibrant and progressive country? Where is the power of his economy? Where are the Garveys, and Martin Luther? Where are the Malcolms, Namumba and the Nkrumah's?

Many People have suffered, many people have died, fighting for our liberty. What little of it there be. We have paid a heavy price to be free, and yet, Hear me clearly. Freedom… is most definitely. Not free.

From slavery to colonization, from colonization to the plantation. Without any form of restitution. For labor stolen, Savagely broken.

And after the plantation. Then came neo-colonization. Which is with us to this very day. In the presence of the IMF, and the world Bank.The United Nations. And the world trade organization.

Here we have it, as you can see. The continuation of the inequality. And all this is being maintained by systems of governments and international treaties.

So. Here now is the burning question. Who among us will commit, To reconstruction? And to redeeming the African civilization?

Africa is not a wasteland, she has been giving to the world, from day one. In terms of the very first human, and also, the First Civilization. Be proud black man, be very proud.

Your job now is to perfect yourself, black man. That is the whole purpose of your life, you must understand. It is that struggle on a day to day basis for perfection, and to again become strong.

The aged man must teach the younger ones, teach them in the homes, and in your instructions. Because the battles of the future are going to be the battles of the mind, and for the mind. It's all about knowledge now. Knowledge and science.

So up, you mighty man, press onward and forward, because, you are a black manYes… you are an African.

End. By. E Lloyd Kelly, Feb. 2018