Poem 34 from the Freedom Summer Poems Collection

The poem was written on butcher paper about a row of shacks in Sylvester, Georgia, that the speaker considers similar to shacks in New York City, New York, and the oppression of African Americans across the nation. The poet wrote mostly in black marker, but the line "with blacks" is written in red marker instead.

Poem 34 is one of forty-five poems and poem fragments written on butcher paper with markers and/or pens on topics related to the Civil Rights Movement. Poem 34 describes a row of shacks, but the collection, titled Freedom Summer Poems, as a whole includes poems about Mississippi but also references the Vietnam War and other international events. While the origin of the poems is unknown, notes in the accession record indicate that the poems may have been created by Civil Rights activists in Council of Federated Organizations safe houses in Jackson, MS, during Freedom Summer.

Unknown, “Poem 34 from the Freedom Summer Poems Collection,” Mississippi State University Libraries, accessed April 11, 2024, https://msstate-exhibits.libraryhost.com/items/show/2618.

Civil rights movements -- Mississippi -- History -- 20th century ; African Americans -- Poetry ; Systematic oppression ; Poetry about Civil Rights

Mississippi

circa 1964

en

Text

Physical: 2 cu. ft.

Digital: 1.9 MB

EN3414_Spring2024_civilrightspoem.jpg

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A row
of same looking shacks
with blacks
oppressed
I saw in Sylvester Georgia
New Neat
in rows and stacks
still shacks
still oppression
I saw in New York City