Langston Hughes: Beaumont to Detroit (1943)
Looky here, America What you done done – Let things drift Until the riots come
Now your policemen Let the mobs run free. I reckon you don’t care Nothing about me.
You tell me that hitler Is a mighty bad man. I guess he took lessons From the ku klux klan.
You tell me mussolini’s Got an evil heart. Well, it mus-a been in Beaumont That he had his start –
Cause everything that hitler And mussolini do Negroes get the same Treatment from you
You jim crowed me Before hitler rose to power – And you’re still jim crowing me Right now, this very hour.
Yet you say we’re fightin For democracy. Then why don’t democracy Include me?
I ask you this question Cause I want to know How long I got to fight BOTH HITLER – AND JIM CROW.
Photo: Stephen Ulyanov
600 years and counting today and these wicked cowards haven’t changed, what makes you believe they will?















