"I remember when Hispanics were Black"
A poem by
Karen Brittingham-Edmond
I remember when Hispanics were Black
When Tito Puentes played
Oye Como Va & the Sax!
When Nikki Giovanni and Sonia Sanchez led the race.
With Black pride and afros, plus the truth that killed snakes.
There was no difference between the two.
Simply Black and irate.
They remembered when Pedro Albizu Campos was refused.
Blocked from graduating from Harvard.
Harvard U didn’t want a Puerto Rican man to be a
Valedictorian at their school.
So Pedro had to graduate back home
in 1922.
I remember when Hispanics were Black.
When The Movimento Negro Unificado meant to come on Black folks. Its time to react.
No more bowing and scraping.
No such thing as wanting to be white.
We were one people.
Survivors of both African Diaspora & middle passage blight. Mixed with the port of riches native folks plus African knights.
I remember when we won wars.
Wars fought in judicial halls.
The truth was our sword and our heritage our reward.
But no more.
Not since perms have advanced.
And bleaching creams became the new norm.
Spanish folks thought that their butts were too fat.
And lips too strong.
But I remember when Hispanic folks were Black.
No caste system for them.
Mofongo - Quimbombo - Tapado - Cocina Criolla
Hey, we we’re all free.
Right on man - Dam right- What’s happening!
And all that.
But no more.
Nevertheless I still remember when Hispanic folks were Black.
Please enjoy Billy Stewarts "Summertime" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWxYx9mmr7U
Pictured above:
1) Felipe Luciano Journalist 2) Tito Puente Jazz artist 3) Pedro Albizu Campos Politician
4) Celia Cruz 5) Young Lords Black Power Activist 6) Brazillian 1st Nation Tribe South America
7) Puerto Rican Man