PAD Challenge Day 19: Black Wall Streets of America

PAD Challenge Day 19: Write a persona poem.

Black Wall Streets of America 

If I come back stronger as the founders 
that found me, can I trust you to defend 
me, every block by block...

My neighborhoods...My businesses...
The same black owned neighborhood 
and blacked owned businesses 
where you didn't have to wait for 
or question if diversity was acceptable 
because I was established F.U.B.U...

You didn't have to be on 
tenterhooks about inclusion.
You didn't have to go 
seeking and hunting
down equity when basic 
civil rights were obviously overdue.

Because you had me...
You had me when Jim Crow 
was your number one public enemy.

You had me through:
The fall and rise of the Greenwood District 
When I was metropolis as Bronzeville in Chi-town
When I was the apple of your eye on 
Jackson Ward in Richmond, Virginia 
When I was sweet as Sweet Auburn in Atlanta
An urban league as Hayti in Durham, North Carolina 
When I was 1st on your list 
from 4th Avenue in Birmingham, Alabama 
to West 9th Street in Little Rock 
up to the 15th Ward in Syracuse, New York;
When you could simply cherish me on
Farish Street in Jackson, Mississippi.

And here we are again...wondering..

Can I depend on you for your protection 
from the violence and hatred 
that displaced me and my people 
or will you let your politicians gentify?

Will you let my legacy go down 
with the rest of your history as miseducation.
Untaught. Unlearned. Unrecognizable.

Leaving my roads of black excellence 
and premises black and blue;
Left with just an iron sign marked-
posted in memory of the souls of blacks 
folks that fed me their resilence through adversity.

Will I just be an "I was here" 
or an "I used to be",
where only your mommy's momma 
and her momma knew of me?
Remembered me
Can talk about me.
Teach me to the next generation.

Or will you keep lifting me higher 
for the next generation after another?
Placing generational wealth in the 
hands of your children's children; 

Keeping my black entrepreneurial spirit alive... or 
Will you build me back blacker and stronger again 
or hand over my dear life with pride 
to the next developer to let me down too?

D'ElegantOne 

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