"Hey Black Child" Poem Recited By Pe’Tehn Raighn-Kem (2015) And By Kaleb Porter (2021)

Windy City LIVE, Feb.  25, 2015

This little DYNAMO is a must see, and she's from right here in Chicago! Meet 3-year-old Pe’Tehn Raighn-Kem from Bronzeville! Take a look of her performing “Hey, Black Child” on Windy City Live! -snip-
Three year old Pe’Tehn Raighn-Kem incorrectly attributed this poem to African American poet, novelist, children's writer, and playwriight Countee Cullen (May 30, 1903 – January 9, 1946). Click https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Countee_Cullen for information about Countee Cullen.

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Edited by Azizi Powell
 
This pancocojams post showcases wo YouTube videos of the poem "Hey Black Child" and provides the words to that poem. Information about Useni Eugene Perkins, the author of that poem is also included in this post.

The content of this post is presented for cultural, inspirational, purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Useni Eugene Perkins for his cultural legacy. Thanks also to Pe’Tehn Raighn-Kem and to Kaleb Porter for their recitation of this poem. Thanks to the publishers of these videos and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.
-snip-
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2015/10/useni-eugene-perkins-hey-black-child.html for a 2015 pancocojams post on this poem. That post presents information about Useni Eugene Perkins and also contains several visitor comments. 

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PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S NOTE
A number of websites, YouTube videos, and comments on YouTube discussion threads mistakenly indicate that Countee Cullen is the author of the inspirational poem "Hey Black Child". Other websites, YouTube videos, and discussion thread comments attribute that poem to Maya Angelou.  In the now viral* 2015 video of a three year old African American girl (Pe’Tehn Raighn-Kem) reciting "Hey Black Girl", Countee Cullen was named as the author of that poem.   

 The actual author of "Hey Black Child" is Useni Eugene Perkins.

*There are several YouTube videos of reciting "Hey Black Child". As of Feb. 8, 2022 at 9:40 PM ET, the first YouTube video clip that was published of that television recitation by Pe’Tehn Raighn-Kem (on Chicago, Illinois' Windy City LIVE daytime talk show) Feb. 25, 2015 has 10,969,422 views. 

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SHOWCASE VIDEO #2: Black History Moment: Hey Black Child



fbcsomerset, Feb. 21, 2022

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INFORMATION ABOUT USENI EUGENE PERKINS

From http://www.thehistorymakers.com/biography/useni-eugene-perkins-39

"Useni Eugene Perkins is a distinguished poet, playwright and youth worker. Born in Chicago on September 13, 1932, he was the son of Marion Perkins, a sculptor, and Eva Perkins. Being exposed to the arts at a young age through his father would prove to be a major influence on his later years...

In [1966], Perkins became the executive director of the Better Boys Foundation of Chicago, a social agency involved in community, social, educational and cultural development. Raised in the housing projects of Chicago, and having established a career as a sociologist dealing with troubled youth, he authored the 1976 book Home Is A Dirty Street: The Social Oppression of Black Children.

Upon leaving his post with the Better Boys Foundation in 1982, Perkins became an executive consultant in Chicago with INESU Consultants, where he stayed for two years. He was still very active in writing, penning several sociological books on African American youth, as well as publishing books of poetry and authoring various plays that were produced in theaters in Chicago."... 

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WORDS TO "HEY BLACK CHILD"
(Useni Eugene Perkins)

Hey Black Child,
Do you know who you are?
Who you really are?
Do you know you can be
What you want to be?
If you try to be
what you can be.

Hey Black Child,
Do you know where you’re going?
Where you’re really going?
Do you know you can learn
What you want to learn?
If you try to learn
What you can learn?

Hey Black Child,
Do you know you are strong?
I mean really strong?
Do you know you can do
What you want to do?
If you try to do
What you can do?

Hey Black Child,
Be what you can be
Learn what you must learn
Do what you can do
And tomorrow your nation will be
what you want it to be

Source: https://specialedandme.wordpress.com/2008/08/25/hey-black-child-by-eugene-useni-perkins/

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Visitor comments are welcome.

The REAL Author of The Poem "Hey Black Child" : Useni Eugene Perkins

Edited by Azizi Powell

Latest revision: Feb. 8, 2022 

This pancocojams post showcases the poem "Hey Black Child" and provides information about its author. A YouTube video of three year old Pe’Tehn Raighn-Kem reciting that poem is also included in this post.

The content of this post is presented for cultural, inspirational, purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

Thanks to Useni Eugene Perkins for his cultural legacy. Thanks also to Pe’Tehn Raighn-Kem who is featured in the video embedded in this post, thanks to the publisher of that video, and thanks to all those who are quoted in this post.
-snip-
Click https://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2022/02/hey-black-child-poem-recited-by-petehn.html for a 2022 pancocojams post entitled "Hey Black Child" Poem Recited By Pe’Tehn Raighn-Kem (2015) And By Kaleb Porter (2021)"

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PANCOCOJAMS EDITOR'S NOTE
A number of websites, YouTube videos, and comments on YouTube discussion threads mistakenly indicate that Countee Cullen is the author of the inspirational poem "Hey Black Child". Other websites, YouTube videos, and discussion thread comments attribute that poem to Maya Angelou.  In the now viral* 2015 video of a three year old African American girl (Pe’Tehn Raighn-Kem) reciting "Hey Black Girl", Countee Cullen was named as the author of that poem.   

 The actual author of "Hey Black Child" is Useni Eugene Perkins.

*There are several YouTube videos of reciting "Hey Black Child". As of Feb. 8, 2022 at 9:40 PM ET, the first YouTube video clip that was published of that television recitation by Pe’Tehn Raighn-Kem (on Chicago, Illinois' Windy City LIVE daytime talk show) Feb. 25, 2015 has 10,969,422 views. 

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SHOWCASE VIDEO: 3-year-old blows away audience with poem for Black History Month!



Windy City LIVE, Feb. 25, 2015

This little DYNAMO is a must see, and she's from right here in Chicago! Meet 3-year-old Pe’Tehn Raighn-Kem from Bronzeville! Take a look of her performing “Hey, Black Child” on Windy City Live!

****
INFORMATION ABOUT USENI EUGENE PERKINS

A number of websites, YouTube videos, and comments on YouTube discussion threads indicate that Countee Cullen is the author of the inspirational poem "Hey Black Child". Other websites, YouTube videos, and discussion thread comments attribute that poem to Maya Angelou. However, after reading several online articles and comments I believe that the real author of "Hey Black Child" is Useni Eugene Perkins.

From http://www.thehistorymakers.com/biography/useni-eugene-perkins-39
"Useni Eugene Perkins is a distinguished poet, playwright and youth worker. Born in Chicago on September 13, 1932, he was the son of Marion Perkins, a sculptor, and Eva Perkins. Being exposed to the arts at a young age through his father would prove to be a major influence on his later years...

In [1966], Perkins became the executive director of the Better Boys Foundation of Chicago, a social agency involved in community, social, educational and cultural development. Raised in the housing projects of Chicago, and having established a career as a sociologist dealing with troubled youth, he authored the 1976 book Home Is A Dirty Street: The Social Oppression of Black Children.

Upon leaving his post with the Better Boys Foundation in 1982, Perkins became an executive consultant in Chicago with INESU Consultants, where he stayed for two years. He was still very active in writing, penning several sociological books on African American youth, as well as publishing books of poetry and authoring various plays that were produced in theaters in Chicago."...

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MORE INFORMATION AND COMMENTS ABOUT "HEY BLACK CHILD"
From http://arinmaya.bandcamp.com/track/hey-black-child
"About "Hey Black Child
Hey Black Child was originally a song that was adapted into a poem, written by Chicago-based and -born writer Useni Eugene Perkins (NOT Countee Cullen) for his play "The Black Fairy." It was performed at the Lamont Zeno Theater at the Better Boys Foundation on Chicago's South Side for over 5,000 children and adults in Chicago, and then in Detroit, from 1974 to 1975. So anniversary wishes are in order! And much gratitude to Useni Eugene Perkins for his inspiring work.

Somewhere in me, I knew the author of the poem had Chicago ties (Chi-town stand up!), so I'm glad to have been corrected, so as to continue the thread of honoring Chicago poets in these shadow days of National Poetry Month. ...and who knows? Maybe one day I'll be part of a re-staging of "The Black Fairy" :) "
-snip-
This website includes a sound file of this poem: Music by Blackdaylight. Vocal arrangement and voice(s) by ArinMaya."

A number of commenters wrote that they recall having posters of the poem "Hey Black Child". Other commenters wrote that they had recited the poem "Hey Black Child" in Black history month oratorical contests.

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WORDS TO "HEY BLACK CHILD"
(Useni Eugene Perkins)

Hey Black Child,
Do you know who you are?
Who you really are?
Do you know you can be
What you want to be?
If you try to be
what you can be.

Hey Black Child,
Do you know where you’re going?
Where you’re really going?
Do you know you can learn
What you want to learn?
If you try to learn
What you can learn?

Hey Black Child,
Do you know you are strong?
I mean really strong?
Do you know you can do
What you want to do?
If you try to do
What you can do?

Hey Black Child,
Be what you can be
Learn what you must learn
Do what you can do
And tomorrow your nation will be
what you want it to be

Source: https://specialedandme.wordpress.com/2008/08/25/hey-black-child-by-eugene-useni-perkins/

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Visitor comments are welcome.

Thomas Appiah - "Why I Hate Racism" (spoken word composition)

Edited by Azizi Powell

This post showcases a video and a transcription of the spoken word composition "Why I Hate Racism" by Thomas Appiah. The words for a second composition by Thomas Appiah which begins with the words "Sometimes I feel like crying" is given in the Addendum to this post.

The content of this post is presented for inspirational, motivational, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owner.

Thanks to Thomas Appiah for these compositions. Thanks also to all those who work to eradicate racism within themselves and in societies.

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INFORMATION ABOUT THIS SPOKEN WORD ARTIST
From https://twitter.com/thomice1
"I'm Business Administration student of Humber college. I do writes [sic] poems, motivational speeches, drama, songs."

Toronto, Canada, Joined June 2012
-snip-
Also read my speculations about the spoken word artist in my note about this transcription that is found below.

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SHOWCASE VIDEO: Why I Hate Racism || Spoken word



thomas appiah, Published on Jan 5, 2014

Hello guys, let all speak against racial abuse against Black, white, Asian, Hispanic,Arab..
Racism has cause nothing better to humanity but loses, hopelessness, fear to abundant life....
I wish you will my support inspirational book" Time for legacy" which means give the world nothing but hope.
Our world will be better when we appreciate others for who they are not their culture...

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EDITOR'S NOTE ABOUT THIS TRANSCRIPTION:
The words to this spoken word were given as sub-titles within this video.

I believe that English may not be the first language of this spoken word artist ("Appiah" is an Ghanaian/Ivory Coast last name). I also believe that this spoken word may be best understood in the context that its composer is writing from the perspective of a person who is living in a culture that is different than his (or her) own, a culture that is racist and causes him (or her) to struggle with self-hate because of his (or her) race. That context adds meaning to the first two lines in which the composer asks (someone else?) when did he (or she) change his (or her) ethnic birth name that was given out of love to a standard "English" name. That context also adds meaning to the line "Don’t take our papers [and] be our keepers." and the verse that begins "Don’t go wild and hate your own race for nothing."

I've made one minor change in a word that was given in the video's sub-titles that I think enhances this English transcription. The word that was given in the sub-title is found at the end of the composition after the asterisk. I also added a word in a few lines that I believe corresponds to what I think the spoken word artist meant. Those added words are given in brackets.

Sometimes the sub-titles included misspelled words. Also, sometimes the words that were spoken didn't match the words that were written in the sub-titles. In each of these cases, I used the words that best fit standard English.

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WHY I HATE RACISM
(Thomas Appiah)

When did you change your name?
When did you hide the gift of love?
When did you start to judge?
Why do you hate people because of their forefathers’ mistakes?

All societies have a question to answer
for the unborn, the kids, the poor.
They cannot speak for themselves,
but we can see them running in hot dreams.
We are not here to be each others’ enemies,
We are here to make a destiny which demands diversity.
I belong to a race that respects all people
not those who call for favoritism.

It is time to prepare the tables of our hearts
to empower the generation
to turn a real dream into action,
effort into purpose,
sorrow into joy,
impossibility into possibility.

Why do I hate weak laws,
weak traditions,
and weak minds
that support racial abuse?

No one chooses to be White, Black, Hispanic,
Asian, or Mixed.
No one chooses his or her parents and homeland.
No one chooses to be helpless, homeless, or hopeless.
But some of us have chosen to proclaim the term racism
in all aspects of life.
How can a society place pets ahead of people?
How can we love trees more than people?
We allow names of selfish stories to become our thoughts
instead of love.
We keep our eyes on material things which cannot love us back.

Do you know that different colors means one people?
Are you ready to look down upon your own souls and
invite owls?
Why do you judge others who don’t look like you,
Who don’t speak your language?
If you aren’t going to fly with them,
then don’t stop them from progressing.

Why are there the generals in corporations who always hire certain crowds
and forget about other crowds.*
It is another story to see folks chanting abuse on sportsmen,
friends, strangers, neighbors, tall men, short men.
If these continue, we tell others they don’t deserve to live.
What is the meaning of multicultural and ethnicity?
Why must societies reject societies?
Why must citizens reject citizens
and treat them as slaves?
Why must citizens fight [among] themselves for positions and materials?
Why must one culture appear as a hypocrite to threaten another culture?
What is the essence of the rule of law in our land,
if the law states that no one is above the law
and [then] goes beyond to reject one person and save the other person?

Why can’t a state constitution feed its members with truth?
Don’t paint a race under one umbrella, for no race is perfect.
Don’t take our papers [and] be our keepers.

Racism is a storm.
It only destroys quality
and builds a restless society.
Believing in your culture or religion without truth
is just a wicked philosophy against humanity.
If this generation continues to act speechless,
our creator will question us one day.

Don’t go wild and hate your own race for nothing.
Don’t reject any race because of one person or one thing.
Be yourself and be friends with yourself for the rest of your life.
Whatever skin you have you must love it.
No race has the standard of living
We must learn how to respect people no matter their circumstances
even if they don’t agree with us.
We need strong people with [a] sense of humor,
beauty with passion and purpose.
People with great love to handle our society not faces.
We need to unite our uniqueness and make the world a better place.

I believe regardless of our differences
We are made for this hour to experience hope.
Just believe in yourself, and leave a mark that will
bless your generation.
I know racism will never vanish but we can control it.
It starts [with] you.
-snip-
* The sub-titles gave "Where" as the beginning word in this line. I believe that the word "crowds" here means "populations".

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ADDENDUM
From https://www.facebook.com/humberlegacy?ref=hl Legacy Hsf, Thomas Appiah

October 8, 2013

SOMETIMES I FEEL LIKE CRYING
(Thomas Appiah)

Sometimes, I feel like crying,
I feel like the past has hated me for nothing,
so I called my present homeless,
and called my future aimless because no one likes me,
and no one wants to see me laughing in confidence.
But in my present, I can wake up,
work hard,
reposition my mind and breathe in the light,
and feel more than worthy.
And I can call myself" a man of power and victory",
a man who was made fearfully and wonderfully,
a man who can create something out of nothing".
I am capable of making my dreams reality*.
-snip-
The word that was given in this comment/composition was "publish". I changed that word to "reality".

- Legacy ( new book coming out soon)

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