We Hold These Truths
By Stefanie Dao
“We hold these truths to be self-evident
That all men are created equal”...
These words have been etched in America’s heart
Since the day that she was born.
Yet when it came to accepting others
This exceptional phrase seemed to fail.
People were demanded to be kept apart
Only because of their heritage and legacy.
When this problem reached the highest
Of all courts in the nation
The people decided to keep all
“Separate but equal.”
But there is no way in our country
For equality to exist
If we are all forever to be kept separate
From each other.
Many years from that day in history
The fight reached a turning point,
And it was concluded that schools
Can never be “separate” and “equal”.
Slowly, slowly, over the years
Things began to change.
And the world that we know today
Started to take shape.
Had those people in the past
Never fought their war
The future would be separated
And equality would not be true.
For the children of our homeland now
To be with people of other races is natural.
Our outsides may be different
But our hearts remain the same.
_________________________________________________________________
Thurgood Marshall
By Gaby Anaya
African-American people were sad.
This guy got mad.
His name was Thurgood Marshall and he believed
That everyone should be treated with equality.
He was a lawyer and he wanted to
Stop segregation at schools and everywhere.
Some whites thought the way the blacks were treated was fair.
Mr. Marshall didn’t care.
He beat them in the courtroom in the Brown vs. Board of Education case.
He made sure no one was discriminated because of their race.
He proved that African-American kids felt inferior by placing
Two dolls in front of them, one black and one white.
The girls chose the white.
Of course Thurgood was right.
He beat the system but he did it
Without blood or a fight.
_________________________________________________________________
No More Segregation
by Trenise Collier
People, people please listen up,
The United States has really messed up.
They’ve separated children in school because of their skin.
This really isn’t the way the future should begin.
I’m trying to tell you this is unconstitutional.
Don’t you understand, segregation is not crucial.
I have an idea that sounds pretty good,
Get Brown to the Supreme Court, she’ll do what the rest of us should.
Dr. Clark understood, that children were rejecting their own race.
The court then agreed that this was a huge disgrace.
Now in 2004, we’re understanding much more,
That segregating schools was something we shouldn’t have done before.
_________________________________________________________________
Equality
By Matt Thompson
Equality.
Everyone is equal.
Equality.
No more segregation!
Equality.
We are all one.
Equality.
The government gives justice to all.
Equality.
Everyone has dignity.
Equality.
It is like we are free forever!
Equality.
We all have rights and responsibilities.
Equality.
It’s kind of like a dove created equality along with peace.
Equality.
It is the sweetest thing to have ever happened, like eight equal slices of apple pie.
_________________________________________________________________
Walking
By Buffy Jamison
Walking down that road, that bumpy road, never giving up.
At first you’re strolling along with not a care in the world.
The sun is shining, the breeze is sweet, then all of a sudden
you see a nice restaurant and you start to get hungry.
You want to go in and eat, but you can’t, it’s the law, and
it feels like you’ve just slipped and fallen into a puddle of shame and anger,
but you get back up and you walk, walk, walk towards the freedom.
You keep walking and walking and you meet a friend on the way,
but only for a short while, then you’re on your own again.
Others are doing the same thing although you don’t realize it,
they’re walking, walking, walking towards the peace.
By yourself, but not really alone, one in all and up against the law,
fighting, fighting, walking, walking, walking towards the justice.
The friend you thought had left joins you again
only this time with a few more friends.
More and more people and more and more friends, more and more
of you walk, and you’re striving, striving, striving for your rights.
One by one, hundred by hundred, thousand by thousand,
you are joined.
The walk turns into a march, and you start to sing together
full of hope, peace, and heart.
Knowing in your hearts that you are right together, you are
strong together, you are one together, as you march together,
you’re marching, marching, marching, marching towards equality.
It has been long and you are tired but you hold your patience,
unknowing your journey is almost over.
You stop and you speak, you speak in every which way. With
passion, with power, without fear, without hate, you wait and you wait.
Then you speak, and speak again, when finally, you are heard,
you’ve gained your freedom, you’ve gained your peace, you’ve
gained your justice, you’ve gained your well-earned rights,
you have your equality.
We’ve won, we’ve won, we have won our equality. This is our
right, this is our freedom, this is our democracy, this is
equality.
_________________________________________________________________
The Fight for Our Rights
by Bryne Berry
Together
That’s what we were meant to be
Not locked behind closed doors
To fight to be free.
The right to fight
The injustices of a cruel land
Like a distant traveler
Caught in the deep quicksand.
Girl
Linda Brown
Went to school one day
To walk up the steps
And then only to be turned away
To be turned away from a right
Because of the color of your skin
That did matter if you were black or white.
Man
Thurgood Marshall walked up
To the Supreme Court
He stood there proud
As a jester presenting to the King’s court.
He asked to be heard.
His voice so loud and deep.
The passion in his voice
Let no one fall asleep.
Freedom
Heard he was
For he had persuaded the judges
And thus had won.
Now we all have the choice
To choose which schools to be
With thanks to Linda Brown
And Thurgood Marshall, now the king.
_________________________________________________________________
Segregation
by Stefan Behrendsen
Across the years and many times,
Segregation’s been the crime.
A big thick wall going upward for miles
The people on both sides face many trials.
Although many people have fought,
They cannot win, or so they thought,
But then there came a man called Thurgood,
Who throughout segregation has stood
A target of aggressors’ anger,
But he wasn’t in a lot of danger.
He decided law was the way to go,
In his mind, justice wasn’t so — so.
For civil rights he worked hard.
With many segregators he sparred.
There was a big case he decided to take,
For segregation he hoped to break
To stop people from feeling inferior,
And halt segregators being superior.
The case he won by way of law.
It left many people watching in awe.
Although a black was Thurgood Marshall,
His victory was not partial.
Supreme Court Justice he became.
No other event will be the same.
So when you’re outside some day
And watch many races able to play,
Remember why segregation is gone to stay.
_________________________________________________________________
Equality
by Kelcey Nichols
Linda went to court
With twelve families.
They went to court,
To win equality by law.
Though many did not like it,
They ended segregation.
Now the schools are integrated,
With children of all colors.
All of this because twelve families
Stood up against wrong.
They walked out of the courtroom,
Their smiles a mile wide.
People nation-wide cheering
Because they won equality by law.
_________________________________________________________________
Steps to Equality
By Chalissa Wilson
There was a need.
In the beginning, man created racism and discrimination.
Hatred bubbled like a boiling pot in the hearts of Americans.
There was a fight.
Weary from the struggle, blacks no longer tolerated being mistreated.
Something had to be done.
There was a change.
The passed law was a veil of equality over segregation. Still, hearts and
minds had to be renewed.
There was a victory.
Now America strives for equality:
Freedom, opportunity, and justice... for all. |
