_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Sciences sociales et humaines
IIAKI l\\IADlIl'Hl'TI mOl" L. LEE). A POI~ 1 OF
in an atmosphere of productive peace. 3. Writing is the
THE BLACK PEOPLE'S REYOlXTIO'"
Im)st lasting and the major lyet limiting) forrn ofcommu-
nicalion that J have accc,s to that reaches a good numher
AmbroiseCODJO MEDEGAN
of Black people. 4. Writing is a c1eansing. dialectical. mcdi-
Université Nationale du Bénin
tative and communicative process that helps keep me
BÉNIN
hone'>t and commitled to struggle. keeps me open minded
and active among those 1 dearly care for. many of whom
1 do not have daily contact with. 5. 1 love my people and
BakiR.~1adhuhutistraighta\\\\ayinscriheshis knowthegn:atnesswchaveinusand knowthatthat
pl>et!) in a radi.:all) militant persplXtive. He dlles
/:,lJ"eatness. Olt this time in our lives. must he continuously
not make use of am cir.:umlocution to state his
pushcd and f(lrccd out of us if wc are to survive and
.
goa s: to pnwide African-Americalls \\vith a new per-
devcJop as a people. \\\\'riting is one of the enforcers that
œption of their predil:ament in white America and en-
1 use:' (Enemies: ii-iii)
dm" them \\\\ ith a new vision of life: in short he wants to
Il can be inferred from these aims that for him poetry is
urge themto look with a critical eye attheir own destiny.
not the 1Iitimate principle. an ahsolutc pursuit or an end in
Ile proclaimcd this thematic and artistic stance right l'mm
itself. It is simply a means to a more important task that
the puhlil:ation of his lirst collection of poems that he
prevails over everything cise. namely the rehahilitation
•
aptl) entitled fhink Black.i a title rather evocative of the
and redemption of the Black race. A race which for cen-
ne\\\\ spirit h<: means to infuse in the Blacks. In this wl-
turies has heen oppressed. denigrated and ostracized: a
ledion of poems he invites with insistence Black people
race \\>, hose memhers hecallse of the vi.:issitudcs of their
to gra~p the reality of their li\\es from a "hlaek
history as once enslaved or colonized people are still thc
perspœtivc."ii
vietims of a hast of negative prejudices. discriminatory
What does it entail ..to think hlack"? For the poet it is to
and segregationist practices3/4so many factors that some-
dssume one's hlackncss tota lIy. \\v ithout any mental rcs-
ho\\>, warp their personalities and prevent them from hlos-
.:nations or psychological restrictions. On this point he
soming and coinciding spiritually with themselves. By in-
is quite cJear and e\\Cn peremptory: '·Black. Poet. Black
sistently highlighting his hlackness. by qualifying his po-
poct am 1. This should leave Iittle dOllht in the mind of
etry and art hlack. Madhuhuti deliberatcly adopts the pos-
an) olle as to wh ich is tirst." (rB: 6) 1l' hlackness is 1he
ture of a radical defender of the Black cause: hetter still
paramount reality of hlack life, what ducs·such a stand
he makes his art a "weapon" in the fight for the emer-
imply? For the poet it is Ilot limitcd to having hlaek or tan
gence of a new generation of Blaek people endo\\>'ed with
skin color even though that fundamental tact cannot and
a elear eonsciousness of the stakes involvcd hy the pres-
,hould not he denied. Il goes heyolld that mere hiologi-
ence of Black people ill white America. This ideological
cal contingellcy. Blackness for Madhubuti is "culturc. a
position has many aesthetic implications which we sug-
total way of life which includes the de\\elopment and
gest to analyze in this study. For this purpose we arc
perpèluationllf a common Imguage. history. and future.
going to deal with some of the main themes that run
dS weil as the devclopment <)1' the sciences. art. technol-
through his poet!) and then we shall consider its form
o/:,'y. <.>Jucation. communications. etc." iii
always he.afing in mind his authorial ideology.
[his hlack radicalism informs the poet'> aesthctic stance
The Primacy of the Ethnie Imperative
and his ohjecti"es as a ...nter. He delineates these ob-
A cardinal idea runs through Madhuhuti's poctry. a premise
jectives as fi.)lIl)\\\\ s:
l'rom which he constructs his work: the United States of
1am a Black man. a man of Afrikan descent who wTites.
America is a fundamentally racist country still tangled up
\\Vriting pickt.>J me. 1 am not a horn or trained writer. 1
in pro-slavcry rdlexes and unequal praetiees. To prove
did not plan or choo'>e \\Hiting as a vocation. 1 use writ-
his statement. he reminds us that the very year in which
ing as a \\"eapon. olfcnsively and defensively. to hclp
he WOlS horn "110.000 persons of Japanese desccnt wcre
ra ise the consciousness of lIlyself and my people. At
placcd in proteetive eustody hy the white people uf the
earlicr times in my life 1 mOlY have written for sotnewhat
United States. Two out of three ofthese were American
personal reasons. hut 1 now write for these li"e: 1. Fl)r
citizens hy hirth; the other third were aliens forhiddell hy
the total. uncompmmising liheration of Black people. 2.
law ta he citizens. No charges had heen filed against
l'or the creation of a just worl~ where each and
these people nor had an} hearing been held. The removal
e\\<:!) person is ahle to reach his or ~er highest potential
ofthese people WolS on racial and ancestral grounds only:'
and in doing so not violate the cultural or human rights of
(TB: 6) 1I0wever. evcn though Germany and Italy were
his or her ncighhors as \\>,c ail stri"e to live and develop
Olt war against the U.S.A .• no Amcrican of German or
24
Rev. CAMES - Sene B. Vol 004, 2002 1

---

- - - - - - - - - - -
Sclences sociales et humaines
of transportation was iIIegal. Two years earlier the
ltalian.origin was harassed, no enemy agent rrom these
same court in the Bro\\\\'n v. Board of Education
countrles \\Vas arrested. This difference in the wav \\\\'nite
Eur~Americans
(Topeka) case, had invalidated the "separate but
treat their so-called colored citizen~ in vio-
eq~al" doctrine laid out by the Plessy v. Fergu50n
lation ofthe very principles and rules laid out bv the Consti-
ruhng(163 U.S. 537, 1896). The \\954 decision held
tution makes him ....Tite that he \\Vas bom "into slaverv in
that the "separate but equal" doctrine was unfair to
Feb. of 1942" (TB: 6) at the very time \\Vhen the U.S.A.
African-Americans and other minorities and that
\\Vas c1aiming far and wide her determination to crush tyr-
therefore "separate education is U1Iequal." These
anny 50 as to ensure the triumph of rreedom, democracy
~vents mark the beginning of a new surge of activ-
and the rule of law. This gap between the principles and
lsm among Blacks who organized thetnselves in or-
the actua1practices is to Ile ascribed. according to the poet,
der to undermine the foundations of the U.S. dis-
to the racism prevailing in the U.S.A. Since race is the
criminatory. segregationist and racist system. This
most basic fact of American Iife and since the white race
militant activism also stirred Northem campuses into
is the one that subjugates the others, it ensues that the op-
a vigorous pursuit of social change; it "banished the
pressed segments ~f the American people must urgently
ugliest fcatures of McCarthyism from the Ameri-
reverse the predommant state of things, by knocking down
can campus and resurrected political debate"v as it
..
the white power structure and throwing away the hierar-
ga/vanized white students into action.
chy of values imposed on the \\\\onole nation by the White-
This period of Black activism also saw the emer-
Angl~Saxon Protestants (\\V.A.S.P.s). Il behooves the vic-
gence of a new black leadership with such promi-
tims of racist oppression3/4particularly Black people-to
nent personalities like Martin Luther King, Jr., and
replace those corrupted va lues and practices with new nnes,
Malcolm X. The powerful rhetoric and forceful ideas
more in tune with their own racial aspirations and more in
of these spokespersons endowed many African-
keeping with the stated ideals of the American creed. In
;.\\mericans with a new racial consciousness and in-
that respect, Madhubuti calls upon Blacks to destroy the
spired them into action. The objectives and methods
producers and disseminators of those white values. (TB:
of action ofthose leaders might differ, yet their ulti-
6) The white values once destroyed, new ones have to be
mate goals were the same. For instance Martin
elaborated and disseminated. To annihilate the old ways
Luther King's avowed goal was the end of segrega-
and outlooks3/4that is the Eur~American ideology-and
tion and discrimination, and finally the integration of
create new perspectives, visions and ways, these are the
African-Americans into the rnainstream culture on
basic tasks that the poet assigns himsel( However before
an equal basis \\Vith the other racial segments of the
delving into the depth and scope of his poetic work. let us
country, a goal that should he attained by non-violent
first consider the soci~historical context in which it has
direct action. For his part Malcolm X, by then a min-
originated.
ister of the Nation of Islam commonly referred to as
As mentioned above Don L. Lee was bom in 1942. Later.
Black Muslims was radically opposed to any plan
under the influence of the Black Muslims doctrine he re-
aiming at erasing Black cultural specificity, by dis-
baptized himself Haki Madhubuti. The poet \\\\oas bom at a
solving it into whiteness. He consequently proclaims
time when the U.S.A. was undergoing deep changes. The
Joudly his exclusive adherence to and support for
African-Americans whose participation in the 2nd World
the values of the Black nation and the Black race as
War has been decisive, now resent to Ile treated as sec-
a whole.
ond-class citizens. They couldn't understand tha! their coun-
Malcolm X's direct speech, his cali to militant action
try sends them as soldiers over foreign seas and in foreign
lead many Black youngsters to side with him in or-
lands in order to "prornote and proteet the rights of ail who
der to work for the rehabilitation of their race. Don
wish to he rree"iv and that, at the same time, t!Jose very
L Lee (Haki Madhubuti) was one of them. His p<r
rights are denied them at home. Thev have therefore re-
etry delineates the different stages of his political
50lved to fight for full citizenship ri~ and to put an end to
evolution and of his stmggle for the advent of the
discriminative and segregationist practices.
Black nation. However his stance as a militant writer
The most outstanding event of the post-World War Il pe-
did not spring into existence as a sudden revelation'
riod for Blacks was undoubtedly the Montgomery bus boy-
it is rather the result of a long and graduai proces~
cott. This non-violent rnass action which began as protest
which began with the shock he experienced at the
against the backward racist practices of the Southern city
bombing ofa black church in Birmingham, Alabama;
transportation system ended with the desegregation of the
a racist bomb attack that caused the death of four
city buses on 21 st December 1956, after the Supreme Court
black little girls. This heinous crime by retrograde
had mled that segregation on buses and other public means
white supremacists provoked a wave of indignation
1 Rev. CAMES - Série B, Vol 004, 2002
25

---

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Sciences sociales et humaines
in the USA and strengthened the poefs determination to
Âssimilatiun was not easy hut he made
take a more activc part in the struggle for the liheration
it come truc
of his hluod hrothers and sisters. Ile therefore resigned
(ferman American, white and pure
from his executive joh in a mail-order husiness and went
Assimilation taken for granted
hack to college tocomplete his training so as to put his
no prohlem to endure
pen at the service of Black people's causc. Under the
Jewish American, am 1 not white tUe)?
pressure of events he decided to re-orientate his life hy
Let me assimilate
,'-
hecoming a writer and singularly a poet. The circum-
1 can huy my way through.
'Stances that presided over that change of mind. the ur-
African American, hlack man true;
gency of the actions to be undertaken, and finally his
Instant hatc. (a milc away)
uncompromising dedication to the cause of the Blacks'
ANNIlIILATE!
liheration givc a ne\\\\ aesthetic and ideological imprint to
Iiell No!
his work. This special orientation first expresses itself in
Ile canl assimilate. (l B: 21)
the themcs he deals with and whieh can hc classiticd as
What Madhuhuti wants to drive home to his rcaders in
belonging to the categories of opposition and affinna-
that poem is that. if historically,.such \\\\hitt: segments of
tion. The pocfs goal is to stand in opposition to cvcry-
Euro-Americans as the Irish. the Italians or the Jews
thing that, in white America. works towards making the
have had assimilation prohlems and have suffered l'rom
African-American a second-c1ass citizen. In that task of
discrimination on rc!igious grounds. they \\\\erc yet able
denunciation. he reaches the conclusion that the main
to inteh1fate into White Anglo-Saxon l'rotestant main-
enemy of Black people in the U.S.A. is \\\\hite racism.
stream culture hecause oftheir \\\\hite skins. This is not
The second mark he prints on his poetry is his positive
the case of colorcd minonties whose s"in colors. it is
vindication of hlackness. The goal for him is to sing the
alleged. disqualify them t()r any preterential treatment-,.
hlack values and make them desirahle. much in the tradi-
Another rcason .cvoked hy F:uro-Americans to explaill
tion of the Negritude poets. However his position sho\\\\s
their hostility to\\\\ards black people's integration is III
neither historical narcissism nor any mystifying self-com-
prctend that they lac" "culture" and have "uncivililed
placency toward past and present shortcomings of Black
ways:' T heir mishehavior supposedly justities thl'ir cx-
life. Nor is it primary anti racist racism. When he evokes
c1usion. To put it plainly the Blac" Âmerican docs not
the past and emphasizes the specifie values of Black
deserve to enjoy his fully-tledged citilen rights hecause
people. it is in order to reinsert them in their historical
he cannot live according to the standards estahlished hy
continuity and therefore rende; their present more intel-
'.; Whites. The poem '"They Are Not Ready" illustrates
ligihle. Such moves are necessary for the construction
this weil:
of a sound future. It is why he insists on the primacy of
They tell me that l am ne)t
the ethnie imperative and fights whatever is likely to en-
fit for society-
danger it.
ilOt hecause 1am hlack hut
The USA: A Basically Racist and Anti-B1ack Natiul1
hecausc 1am fight dirty. and at night.
One idea runs through and dominates his tirst category
They say that 1 take advantage of
of pocms 3/4the poems of denunciation. According tu
natur~, hy using her to help carry out
the poet. the American nation is founded on the myth of
my misdeeds of looting shops.
white supremacy and racism and is therefore incapahle
hurning realtors' uftices
to assimilate non-whites into its social Iljhric. The de-
and kecping firemcn out. (T B: 23)
marcation fine in American society is neither religion nur
For MSldhuhuti IIfe arguments advanced hy Whites to
ideolob'Y hut exclusively s~in color and continent of ori-
justi~ why thcy cxcludc Blacks from AI)1crican life is.
gin. lIencc the hostility and the hatred \\\\hite people harhor
in the final analysis, a hig imposture. Taking every1hing
against non-whites, and espccially Black people. In the
into consideration, Blad..s are hound to he second c1ass
poem "Mainstream of Society"' he clearly states the
citizens as thcy are invited to respect norms estahlished
stakes involved in the relations hetween the races in the
. hy Whites for the White~. The poet \\\\ ho is not taken in
U.S.A. His conclusion is that assimilation into mainstream
hy the hypocrisy of their remar"s ahout the so-called
American culture is in' direct proportion to whether you
unpreparednc:ss of the Blacks simply resorts to irony.
descend from Anglo-Saxon stock or from Irish. Latin.
As he expJesses il. society equals white people and that
Siavic or African origin:
is ail :
Irish American, white man too
Vou are society-white anglo-saxon,
He assimilated into society true
standard setting.
Italian American, he passed on through
example setting,
do it like me pure Christian Americans. (TB: 23)
26
Rev. CAMES - Se"rit' B, Vol OU4, 2U02

---

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Scfenœs sociales et hwnafnes
~
For Madhubuti the arguments advancal by \\\\'hites
them and giving strenglh \\\\bat Madhubuti ca.Us their Black
to justify ~hy they exclude Blacks from American
PlMer. Il is that power that makes white people adopt irra-
life is. in the fmal analysis. a big imposture. laking
tional behaviors. Ho~C\\cer. to fully profil from that power.
cvel)1hing into COIL'>ideration. Blacks are bound to he
Blacls should take in their hands the vital elements of their
second class citizens as they are invÏled to respect
life. The rnost basic element that the) mU'ilIJOCe>liaril} 001I-
norms established by Whites for the White!>. The poet
trd is. according to the poet. the education imparted to th.:ir
who is DOl taken in by the bypocrb-y oftheir remarl!>
chilJren.
about the so-callcd unpreparedness ofthe Blacks sim-
1he Nece'>Sity of Ilaving an Authentic Education.
pl} rcsorts10 irony. As he expresses il. society equals
The assertive black pcrson \\\\ho refuses ÎO l.no\\\\ his pla.....:"
whitc people and that is ail :
docs not ohviousl}' fil in ~ith the idea that the white people
You are socÏel)'-\\\\hite anglo-sa"oo..
hold of Blacls. The type of Blacks that \\\\hite reoPle crave
standard setting.
is. to the poet's mind. -negroes- who -cao dance. play f.:rt-
exarnple setting.
balL'ba'ot:tl.ll· . 1hose the)' need are -nannies and Clll~'" itnd
do it likc me pure Christian Americans.
neg:rocs \\\\lx'.:.in cm..Tlain ONI.'!. 1heothers are DOl \\\\antcd
(TB: :!3)
(& are considercd e.'L-m:me1) dangcrous)- (TB: M. To pm it
ln realil)' what white people ~ant is. according to
plain!)'. the hlack people America.n \\\\bites want arc the al-
Madhubuti. to impose their norms 011 the other seg-
ienated one!>. those \\\\ho'ot: stunted cOll'lCinusness pre\\d1t
ments of American society either forcihly or hy en-
them fronl grasping the aetual stakes of the Black presencc
ticing the latter to adopt their \\\\ays and cOIIform to
in the ILS.A. The \\\\arped pt.TSOII8lities of American Black,
•
their ideals. Non-~hite minorities are expected to
Madhuhutî contends. taking up one 01 the fond ret1ection.. of
willingl} accommodate themselves with the prcrail-
Carter Godwin Woodsoo. is the resuk oftheir -mi\\-educa-
ing ",tate of things. They shoukl DOl complain. hurl
tion.- -Negroe.. tra~ hy white tcad1ef!o and pro.id.:nb
abuses at their white -Iords-. set tire to properties or
of Negro schools and college. prevented hy -Iaw and cus-
"destroy \\\\hat is eliil to them~ (TB: :!3). To behave
tom from participating frcel} in the life of the Keg:l.1- nec-
otherwise io; to display one's -savllgeI)- and prove
essarily -bec(lfl1C do\\\\nright co\\\\anJs.(who] in life .... i11 c0n-
ooc's incapacity to li\\e in ""civilïzeO company. The
tinue as sla\\'e. in "pite \\,ftheir nominal emancipaticn.-,i
white standard-setters and disseminators of norms
Falling in line \\\\ith the arguments de\\eloped t:~ Caner
are not concemed in the Ieast. \\\\ ith kno\\\\ ing \\\\bether
Woodson years ago. Madhubuti strongly !>tre.ses that edu-
their standards arejust and suitahle to C\\a)iJody else..
cation being the rneans through \\\\hich the "hite JJlw.cr struc-
their goal is that every other racial segments of the
ture l1XN effccti\\cly I.œps Black people in mcntal ho.!I1d-
nation follo\\\\ thcm. But wben non-Whites reject those
age. the latter must hak tha1 process and even ren'l'le il. ln
values as non-valid and pattern their behaviors ac-
the JJllClll entitled ""Education-he points to the gIlp that Cl(-
cording to their 0\\\\'11 concqJtions of life. ludicrous situ-
ists between the education gi\\en to BIac~ and their social
ations may occur. This is iIIustratcd by the poem
predican...m in America. The inadequacy and ineffi:iency
-Stereo- in \\\\bich the poet casts ridicule 011 the irra-
ofthat education a.. regards Black people'o; aspirations and
tional attitudes of white racists who \\\\ould desert
coocems is underscored. l he charge the poet leveb agaiï.st
swimming pool!>, restaurants, entire blocks. and even
it is that it Iays emphID.is on fake "alues and attitudes. over-
churches wbenever a Black persoo is around:
looks facto; ofhlack life and culture while belittling that which
i cao clear a beach or swimming pool with-
is fundamental to them. namely. to corne to terms \\\\ith tl1f'111-
out
senes. (TB: Il)
touching \\\\ater.
lt is oovious that such a deleterious kind of education bas to
i can maIœ a lunch counter become dcsened
he jenisoned. Il has no rele\\'8.I1CC for the De\\\\ aspirations of
in Iess than an hour.
I3hrks 3si,! is œsp;.m fiJFl the outside. Bacl in the 19:!U'>.
i cao make propeny \\'alue drop by being seen
Carter G Woodson 'iadly ren18rlœd in conncction to the Af-
in a realtor's tower.
rican-American situation thal. apart from the NegJO ( 'huTch
i AU>N~ cao maJœ the wonI of God have
and ~a few ail but staned-out institutions. the education oi
little
the Negroes is controlled b} the other element: and save the
or no meaning to many'
dramatization of practical education hy Booker f. Wa.....ing-
in Sunday moming's prayer hour.
tOll. Negroeo> ha\\C not innuenlX.:! :he S}stem at all.- (57}
i have Power,
Writing rI\\e Jecad....... Iatd', Madhubuti reacÏ1es the same c0n-
BLACK POWER.
(TB: 3)
clusion. As a resuk he urges hi.. blacl feiiows to do some-
Dy running a\\\\ay from the Blacks as if the) \\\\cre
thing about i.i..: situation. 1lis major oollcern is lIOl 50 ffim:h
plague-stricken, the Whites are il, tàct empowering
to hurl opprohrium at \\\\hite !-'COPie as to raise the political
1Rev. CAMES· Série B, V<:; 004. 2t~):2

---

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Sciences sociales et humaines
awareness of the Blacks. What is important to him is
ber ofthe "negro bourgcoisie". He vvould have been spend-
to redœm hi~ blood brothcrs by r~"ducating thcm along
ing his days trying to imitate white middle dass people, in
new lines and principles. to bring them to positively re-
his endeavor to be integrated into Caueasian society. And
assess and rœvaluate thdr own culture and social con-
he certainly would have bcen cut off l'rom his race and
dition. Ho\\\\ever, he insists, only Black experts working
would have suffered the psyehologieal traumas that are
in an appropriate educational system can adequately
the commonlot of the misfits. ("Baek Home Again", TB:
perf()rm this major tas". What is at stake is to ..:manci-
7)
pate the minds of the Blacks in the lJ.S.A. and e1se-
On the \\\\hole Madhubuti's stance on black people's edu-
\\\\here l'rom the shaeklcs of Western values and stand-
cation is that the type of education that has bcen given to
ards. He states in that respl..'Ct:
them so far at best favors material security and individual
The rejection of that which was/is ours has been the
salvation to the detriment of more collective and perennial
basis for the acceptanee of that which is someone
values. This can only lead to a dead end. For in proportion
else's. The most effective vveapon u~ed against us has
as Blacks ingest \\\\hite values. they lose grasp of and dis-
been the educational systcm. We now understand that
tance themsclves l'rom the cultural values of their people.
if white nationalism is our teacher, white nationalism
Unfortunately in ~pitc of ail their efforts they never suc-
will be our philo~ophy regardless of ail its contradictory
ceed in becoming \\\\hite. Worse still. the)' \\\\illingly enslave
and ullli- hlack implication~. Ihe educational process
themselves to the ""hite dominant power structure and
is sd np largely to preservethat whieh is. not that which
are more ellïcaciously controlled because it is their minds
necessarily needs to he created. i.e. Blac" Nationalism
that are Illm heId in bondage. This is why Ilaki Madhubuti
llr black consciousness. (WNW: 12}
insists on the responsibility of Blacks to conccive 01: im-
1I0wever ridding the minds of the Black people of the
plement and control ail the stages of the educational proc-
infeeted white vaiues is not enough. Blac" l.>Jucational
css and build instead a system that best suits their needs.
experts and intellectuals in all fields ofactivity arecalled
(Enemies: 6)
upon to shape the thin"ing abilities of their people. l 0
The Celebration of the Black Woman
build a new educational system capable of doing a\\\\ay
l he importance of education in Madhubuti's conccrns
\\\\ith the "culturalnihilism" in whieh Blac"s existed in
takes gocs a step further when it comes to raising blacl-;
the late 1<}o()s is, for Madhubuti. a paramount tas" of
females. For the poet, black women should be the first
which the corullary is to bring about tne emcrgence of
target group to be given a sound education. As a rule his
a new type of African-Ameriean "innovators and pro-
""or" is replete with poems devoted to Blac" women.
ducers of positive chang..:" (WNW: 11) ,\\ main pitlàll
\\Vhethel in ~lIch collections of pocms as Thin" Black.
to be avoided in that process is the metaphysical thin"-
Blac" Pride, Don't Cry. Scream. Bool-; of Life. We Walk
ing that consists in qualifving ail Whites evil and ail
the ""'ay of the Ne"" World and in boob of essays and
Blac"s good. Since the writer focuses his encrgy on
social or literary criticisms like Enemies: the ('lash of Raccs
black salvation. he cannot bear the irresponsibility and
or Dynamite Voices: Ne"" Black Poets of the 1%05\\ ii.
foolishness of those Africall-Americans who keep on
the"" riter devotes a large part of his renection~ to the
aping ""hite people. The latter he seornfully labels
blac" \\vomanhood. In the Way of the New World. a spe-
"negro/nigger/ igga/kne\\v l grow," terlns that he con-
cial section. "Blac"vvoman Pocms", is consecrated to the
trasts with Blac"". that is race conscious and politically
topic.
aware Americans of African descent. Consequently
The poces first pocms arc celebrations Ill'the black \\\\oman
the targels ofhis ritici>m al''': not only white supremacists
much in the tradition of the Negritude writers. As a poim
hut also and more so Negroes \\Vith "black s"ins and
of fact he qllotes Leopold S. Senghor's pocm "Na"ed
\\\\hire masks." Such people he calls "attaché-case car-
\\Voman. Black Woman" as epigraph to the section. Ilow-
riers". and "Uncle Toms." He also la"es to task "negro
ever he docs not limit his goal to praising the beauty and
intellectuals" (""ith "Ph. Disl. in psy-chol-o-gy and holes
grace of the Black woman. He goes beyond the singing
in [thcir 1brain~") and the "curopean-african" \\\\ho struts
ofher physical good lool-;s to wholly appraise her in ail her
about because he "took a double al OlI.ford.'· (DCS: 491
dimensions and make her an agent for bringing about a
However inauthentic those alienated Negroes, they are
positive chang.e in the life of her Deeople, and a fighter in
no( so much to be treated as enemies as victims to be
the struggle for rhe liberation of the black race. For
re-educated for a pmiti"p ... h~n~p Here the poet is
Madhubuti the importanre of the Black woman is capital:
speal-;ing out experience. Ile himself vvas n..:arly lost
she is at the base of the construction of the Black nation
for the race. Ilad he kept his executive position in the
he is calling for. Without her active and conscious partici-
mail-order business with \\\\hich he was working. he
pation. the Black narion is doomed to fa il ure. Ile makes
would certainly have become a status-sœking mem-
this clear in sectio"n 37 of 1300" of Life:
28
Rev. CAMES - Serie B. Vol UU4. 2UU2 1

---

------------'-------------<Sciences socictles et humaines
a nation cannot gro\\\\ without ils \\\\omen
to the poet. IlOt only harmful 10 the individual but also
the intellig\\.T1ce of a nation
uhimately OCstnlcli\\l' for the race. Ofcourse. Madhubuti
is retlected in ils '''01l1etl
is a\\\\are ofthe reasons \\"hy sorne wornen foolishly adopt
who bear children ti.1I" the nation
such selt:œstructive anitudes. Indeed the dominant Euro-
and arc charged ,\\ ith the earl)' education of the
American culture .... ith ils smothering tcntacles has suc'
nation.
cct.-ded in imJXlSing its standards of consumering hl:auty
a nation canllllt have intelligent "omen
on ail aspects of American life and black women with
unk."is the \\\\ornen are trc8tcd intclligcntl~
wcak self-images easily becorne unwilling vicrims ofthose
and gi\\en much lovc. <BoL 531
nomls. Rut .... hat escapes their sagacity. Madhubuti re-
The Riad: \\\\oman's central position in the building of
marks. i.. that mat manufactured beauty is ~rhe exact
the nation explains .... hy the \\\\riter indict'i the fooli~h
opposite of our o\\\\n self image. 1 Due to this we sec
people \\\\ho hamper her blooming and her oc\\ cil'!"" _ '1
ncaul) in others 1 and fàilto sec it in oursclves. i This
by puning limits on 11er. Their ~tupidity.he contcnJ,
'c,
leads to destructive self-concepts thatl"i11 not only af-
ri"t.'S from their incapaci~ lU sec the dialectical <:llnl1l.'\\:-
fect our rclationship! wirh oursclVt.'S bUl will affect our i
tion that exisls hetween the development of the black
rclation..hip w;th the world for the \\\\orst:' (BoL: 55)
\\\\oman and that of the Biack nation. The~ sœm to be
Thc JXlCt's \\\\illto crcarc ps~chologically balanced and
hlind to the truth that .. the full JXllential of a nation!
mentally sound Blacks also leads him to stigmatize what
cam\\ùl he reali7ed IInl\\..~s thel full JXllential of its "omen
he deems self-destructi\\e and inauthemic anitudes in
is realiled." <BoL: 53) Jfthe "omen of a nation are left
Blacks. The targets ofhis razor-edged criticism arethose
in iJlent:ss l\\r confined lU pel~ JXlSitions and menial jobs.
black \\\\ornen .... hu invcst thcir fortunc in the acquisition
the nation runs a great risk since "the substance and
of expensive wigs and suits. and who fast rnove t'rom
mental attilUdc l\\f a nation can be sœn in the \\\\ay its
one club to the other looking for wcaricd white clients
\\\\Olncn act and mo\\'e throughüut the nation being pro-
\\\\ho come in with "i don't \\\\ant to hear bout nothing
ductive. If the "omen ha\\e nothing to do. it reflccts
black tllnight" (WNW: 3]) The poet also expresses his
\\\\hat the nation is not doing. If the "OIllen have sub-
disappointment with the sisters who pretend that they
stance and are given rcsponsible positions. the nation
are militants of the black cause but who. in their daily
has sunstance and is responsible.'· (BoL: 541
lives. are consorting with white men. Their inconsisten-
cies provoke the poet's indictment. In "Poem for Rlack
Thê place "r c!loiœ that the Black \\\\oman occupie> in
Women-. for instance, he speaks of a strong and bcauti-
thc editicatillll of tfle black nation also imposes on 11er
fui sister "\\\\huse words cut thru me like rat teelh~ forc-
."
:"l ... '-';1";.'
:lJ_\\.'~h.,
~\\.,;,-..-.
l. ~~~._. 'hat
l i
she
~
must necessarl'I\\'
' .
pert-urm 1'1' ~he
~
ing him ll\\ take a c1ear stand fOr the cause. Her words
dce5 ,;<li, ',\\:mt !t' bcrray ber historical mÎs,ion and disap-
not OI1~ stimulated hirn. but also"moved~him tothe point
;:..:.;,;, :icr people's eXJlCCtations. Her fir'" task in that
that he C\\eIl ., dreamed about our union_ t""O black pe0-
regard is to en<k>w hersclf with a stable p'y.:hological _
ple gruU\\ing-·. His disapp--,jntment was in\\·erse~ propor-
base apt to wlKllly iml1ll:1'se her in the (',lf!U re of the
tiODaI to the consideratilH' he had for ber when he sa\\\\!
Black ~ation. in ü!.iler words, she must bUild ft'r herself
ber in a white man's ami. -smiling those wonk 'black-
11;; im!~mtic cu!til,-al and racial idcnt~, and amid Îrra-
ness ain -t not shit:~ (1 B: 1(1)
tÎOiUtl i,Xt<!, i"'s likcl~ 10 cut lier off t'rûm the "lurturing
\\\\-'hat he is JX)intiog out for indictment is the inconsistent
rl)Ots of Ils <.'ufturc. 'Vladhubuti strongly rescnts tlklSC
attitude of the sister and the damage it is Iikely to intlict
black \\\\omen wh" ~1Il \\\\hitewomen's lin.Tie>, whopaint
to the black cause: moreover it is an expression of self-
tht:rnsel\\es up, or \\\\hll bleach their skins. In Book of
deception and alienation. Another example of sorne black
Lifc he sends them the lûllowing waming:
women-s foolish behavior he criticizes is the one that
If d \\\\oman covers herself with paints: of blues. red.
consists in gi\\'ing more preference to pets than to human
~a~ ... and yelI..l\\\\s' ..he unJ..no\\\\ing:l~ kills ber skin.! she
beings. To transtèr JXlSitiw and enhanciog feelings to
unkflt.\\\\\\ ingly S[l~"; litè l'rom the tirstlayer cll\\ering.
a-Nmal" while underrating one's fellow buman beings is
! 10 paint a fkwer white that is \\13turally red is to! clo<;e
a c1ear indication that one has lost one's human l\\nributes.
its nreathing P',('es and interrupt its na,mal skin gro\\\\thl
To overfœd dogs and cats "hile leaving black pçople to
the tlO\\\\l.'" will Saon dic./to paint black ski" gœ.t:I1. or-
starve to death is. at b..--sL a regression to nimali"lic con-
dnge and otber .:olors.'is to display black skin as SOJJ;'~­
ditiofl. This is precisely the case of the Supremes' singe.-
thing tbaU should be hiddcn t'rom the actual "orld! and
Diana R,)ss \\\\ho went ~madddIf' and -cried lier cye-
,1'1\\\\ I~ sutTocated ~ life. (BoL: 54)
lashes otT on the occasion of the death of ber IWo dogs
The appr'Ji"'i';Jtiol1 of w~ite beauty as nonn is. aecording
Tiftàn~ and Li'l Bit". Her refusai to be consoled and ber
avo"'ed attachment to ber dogs make the poet to cali 11er
. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
-29
1 Rn. CAJIES - Série R. Vol 004, 2002

---

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _~Sciences sociales et humaines
"a dog lover". Of course Madhuouti has no antipathy
Consequently he refuses to play thc indignant and hypo-
for pets; however he cannot understand that Imman be-
~ritieal moralist when he speaks of the not very com-
ings he left to wallow in misery in a "Iand where poodles
rnendaole sexuaJ oehavior of some black women wm-
eatl live c1eaner than their masters." His indignation
pellcd by the circumstances to trade in sex in order to
reaehes its peak when the dog loyers "use the colored
eke out a li\\ ing. He contents himself to record the làcts
people to walk that \\vhich they love. while they wander
but he docs not condemn the female forced by pover!)
in & out of our lives running the world" (WNW: 37). As
and hunger to sell her oody. (TA: 13)
he reminds ..tinle surpreme" Diana, "only the weil fcd
The pacfs almost natural asceticism, his antipath) and
forget" (38) the elementary faets of olack misery. His
evcn his active hostility towards any sexual deviation lead
refusai to side with her is due to the fact he cannot un-
him to reprove any sex trading. l'ct he knows, out of
derstand how someone of her kind who "once knew/
experienee, that when the individual is under duress he
knows the hungry days" could behave the way she was
will resort to ail worthless means in order to surv ive: h is
doing. The shallowness ofher "childtike vision" is sim-
instinct of self.. preservation .... ill make him throw away
ply worrying; it is the expression of the alienation she
any moral values established by society. Under sueh cir-
has undergone and whieh has "moved her dceper into
cumstanees it is not the \\'ic!im that is to oc condemned
lassicland to o~"Come the new wonderwoman of the dirty-
out rather U:\\: society that has provok~>d his/her defile-
world:' (37) What Madhuouti cannot accept. he says, is
ment.
the change undergone oy the star who has now cut her-
Ali in aIl. \\\\ lIen Madhubuti fo.:uses his int.:rest on the
self otT from her roots and revels in ego worshipping.
Hlad. ....,oman, he explores her in ail her dimensions. Ile
(WNW: 38) The gifted \\oiee who eould have oecome a
knows that she endures a lot of suflcrings. that both \\\\ hite
positive role model for emerging generation'i has instead
and blac" males exploit her physi.:aliy as weil as 'ieXll-
joined "the hippy generation to oecome unhippcd. / to
a :J\\" The way Ahck males sometilllcs treat her is not
become the symool of a new aberration.! the wearer of
on!y eùntcmptible, but alsl) condemnable. Not to shùw
other people's hair.! to oecome lllle of the real animais
rcspecl towards one's mothcr. sistcr or spousc is simply
of this earth:' (WNW: 38).
stupid. flowever the \\\\l'iter does not overlook her de-
Madhubuti's goal. as has bœn point~'(j out earlier. is not
fects. In faet he sometime, lays so strong 3n emph.lsis
to merely IJIll'! critieisms at the few inauthentie olaek
on her shortcomings that onç S\\:lb':S that he is nc! lotili!y
women: in fact he docs so with rcluetance in order to
dc\\'cid of male ehauvinistic prejudices. 'n:;s sl1cJ'... "
oetter celcorl'te thc oeauty, and courage, in short. the
thl'ùllgh the pocm entitled "Quiet Ignorant Ilappillcss" in
stcrling \\irtues of the majority ofthem. Ile .... ants to pa)
which after eelebrating the black woman's beauty and
trioute tll them for the physical and moral pains they
warmth, he urges her "Not to he olinded by deccptions
have endured for centuries. What makes them excep-
and ooliquities" and a\\ùid the corrupted ideas dissen',i-
tional creatures, worthy of our admirat ion, is that the
nated by the mainstream culture. l'his is so oecausc "the
sutTerings and ill treatments meted out to them have not
untouched .... ill dwell free and happy and OPTIMISTIC"
broken their detennination to rabe their offspring \\Vith
.\\s a result he concludes oy underlining the ideas he is
dignity and proteet them from the dangers of the insan-
aliuding to .... ith the f()II11wing .... ords: 00) dread the da)
ity of the American system. 1n that respect, tlley have
when! 11er womo is bro"en/ For then/ She \\\\ ill as" for
saved the race and deserye to oe given a .... arm credit
.. ./ EQUALlTY:' (TB: 1S)
for that. That only fcat explain'i why the poet castigates
The l1111st plausihle explanation one .:an givc of the po-
the machism and the irresponsibility of sorne male Afri-
et's resentment to hear of equality bct\\\\een the sexes i.,
ean-Americans to.... ards the olack. wûm:l!L.Tb.e..pDe!ll.
.t.!nl his wnrrl< 3œ...Uimed at the hazy themics of equality
"Understanding But Not Forgetting" deals, among other
advanccd by while women's liberation mO\\ements that
topics, with teenage pregnancip < ~ntl mllitipip pregnan-
make ao,tra"Lman. [he;r main, cnemy. These theories
cÎes. He laments the fate and the ordeals of a "sister
lead up to a curious 1.;,,<1 of militantism. whieh is dia-
with five children before the age of 22, she has ne\\'er
mnrically opposcd tr: d'''~ idea that Madhubuti has of a
known a day of happiness:' ln face of this dereliction
tïl~:: n:volutiùuary m:iiwntism.
the poct wonders it I,c is not the One who should aetually
p ·.let!'~~ and t he..!3.Laek..!œ\\'OJ ut ion
fcel unhappy. for if as hc n:pcats again and again, the
i\\'1:1dhubuti's milil,.:,: slanee. \\\\'-' hav.: remark('!:. ;; Jeeply
olack waman is the fulure of her race, an adequate solu-
il11'l1erscd in the n::;iity of race. Il is tr(' ""'.; cause he
tion shouid oc j()llnd to the pr0blem or unplanned preg-
adamantly dcfend:-. His cOl11mitment t,', l';:: black raœ is
nancies. l he people rcsp'lI1sible of such a stilte of things
tolai. radical ar.. ! ,;"t'fers no C0fT1pr(.!,:i3è. Il is stand on
arc, here agalil.lIlaèk ml.'n who fail tùrlù i11cirdùtÎes as
!fi': 'luestlon -aerivc5 trom a fl1er: i'~!a.:k people arc des-
educators and protcctors llf thcir ft'-<.t:ùc '-"," m[Janions.
pcrately lagging bp.hind the other races: they stand mo-
,
30
Rev. CAMES - Série B, Vol 004, 2002 1

---

Sciences sociales et humaines
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
BAKI !\\IAUlIl'Hl1TI (1)01'' L. LEEI, A P()[ r Of
in an almosphere of producliv'e peace. 3. Wriling is Ihe
TIIE BLACK PEOPLE'S RE\\'()U'110S
mosllasting. and Ihe major (yel limiling) fonn ofcommu-
nicalj<1I1lhal 1 have access 10 Ihat reaches a good numher
AmbroiseCOO.JO MEOE<;AN
of Black people. 4. Writing is a c1eansing. dialeclical. medi-
Université Nationale du Bénin
lalivc and communicalivc process Ihat hclps keep me
BÉNII"
honesl and committed to struggle. keeps me open minded
and active among those 1 dearly care for. many ofwhom
1 do not have dail)' contact vvith. 5. [ love m)' people and
HakiR.~1adhuhulislraig.hlawayinscriheshis kn(1\\\\Iheg.rcalnesswchaveinusandknowIhalthal
pœl~ in a radically mililanl perspeclive. Ile does
grealness. al Ihis time in our lives, must he conlinuously
nol make use of anv' .:ircumloculion 10 state his
pushcd and lixced out of us if vve are 10 survive and
,
goa s: 10 pnl\\idc African-Amencans vVl\\h a new per-
develop as a people. Wriling is one l)f Ihe enforcers Ihal
ception of their predicament in white America and en-
1 use:' (Enemies: ii-iii)
dow them vvilh a new vision of life: in short he wants to
Il ean be inferrcd from Ihese aims that for him poelry is
urge them to look vv ith a critical eye allheir own destiny.
nollhe ullimate princip le. an ahsolule pursuil or an end in
Ile proclaimed Ihis Ihematic and artistic slance right from
itself. It is simply a means to a more important task thal
Ihe puhlicalion of his tirst colleclion of pnems Ihat he
prevails n,cr everything e1se. namely the rehabilitation
apll~ enlilled rhink Blaek,i a litle rather evocative of the
and redemption of Ihe Black race. A race \\Yhieh for cen-
ne\\v spiril hc means 10 infuse in Ihc Blacks, ln Ihis col-
luries has heen oppressed. dcnigraled and oSlraeized: a
icdion of pnems he inviles with insis!ence Black people
race \\Yhose memhers hecause of the vicissiludes oftheir
10 grasp the reality of thcir lives from a "hlal:k
history as once enslaved or eolonized people are stilllhe
pcrspecti,c."ii
victims of a host of negalive prejudices. discriminalory
Whal docs il entail "to think hlack"? For the poel it is Il)
and segregationist practiees3/4so many factors that some-
dSsume one\\ hlackncss lolally, without any mental res-
ho\\\\ warp their personalities and prevent them from hlos-
en allons or psyehological restriclions. On this point he
soming and coinciding spirilually with themselves. By in-
is !.Juitc clear and eycn peremptory: "Bla.:k. Poe\\. Black
sislentl)' highlighling his hlackness. hy !.Jualifying his po-
poel am 1. This should leave little douht in the mind of
etry and art hlack. Madhuhuli deliberately adopts the pos-
anyone as to which is tirs\\." (TB: 6) If hlackncss isthe
ture of a radical defender of the Black cause; hetter still
paramount reality of hlack life. whal doe,·such a sland
he makes his art a "weapon" in Ihe 1ighl for the emer-
imply'? Fur Ihe poet it is not limitcd 10 hav ing hlack or lan
gence of a new generation of Black people endo\\Yed with
,kin color even though Ihat fundamenlal làcl cannot and
a clear consciousness of the stakcs involved hy Ihe pres-
shou Id nol he den ied. lt goes heyond Ihal merc hiologi-
ence of Black people in while America. This ideological
cal conlingency. Blackness for Madhuhuti is "uilture, a
position has many aesthetic implications which we sug-
tOlal way of life which includes the developmenl and
gesl to ana\\yze in this sludy. For this purpose we are
perpetualionl)f a common Ilnguagc. hislory, and future.
going to deal with some of Ihe main Ihemes thal run
as weil a, Ihe dcvelopment of tlle sciences. art. technol-
through his poctry and Ihen we shall consider ils fonn
ob')'. education. communicRlions. elc.'· iii
always he.ll"ring in mind his authorial ideology.
This hlack radicalism informs Ihe poet's aeslhclic slance
The Primaey of thc Elhnic Imperative
and hi, ohjectives as a "'nIer. He delineales Ihese oh-
A cardinal idea runs through Madhuhuti's poetry. a premise
jeclives as follows:
from which he constructs his \\York: the Uniled Slales of
1am a Black man. a man of Afrikan desccnl who wriles.
America is a fundamentally raeist country slill tanglcd up
Wriling picked mc. 1 am not a born or trained wriler. 1
in pro-slavery rellexes and unequal practices. To prove
did not plan or ehoose wriling as a vocal ion. 1 use wril-
his statemenl. he reminds us that the very year in which
ing as a \\Yeapon. otfensively and defensivcly. 10 help
he was horn "110.000 persons of Japanese dcscent were
raise Ihe consciou,ness of rnyself and my people. At
placed in proleclive custody hy the white people of Ihe
carlier times in my life Imay have 'Mitten for somewhal
United Slates. Two ouI of threc of Ihese were American
persona 1reasons. hut 1 now wrile for these tive: 1. For
eitizens hy hirlh: the other third were aliens forhidden by
the tOlal. uncompromising liheration of Black people. 2.
law 10 he eitizens. No charges had hecn filcd against
!-or Ihe creation of a just worl~~ v,here each and
these people nor had any hearing heen held. The removal
cv er~ person is ahle to reaeh his or lier highest potential
ofthese people was on racial and ancestral grounds on 1)':'
and in doing so not violate the cultural or human rights of
(rB: 6) 1I0wever. even though Germany and Italy were
his or her ncighhors as vve ail strive 10 live and de,e1op
al war againsl the U. S.A., no American of German or
Rev. CAMES - Série B. Vol 004. 2002 1

---

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Scfences sociales et hum.aines
of transportation was iIlegal. Two years earlier the
\\talian.origin was harassed, no enemy agent from these
same court in the Bro\\\\TI v. Board of Education
countnes was arrested. This ditference in the wav white
(Topeka) case, had invalidated the "separate but
Euro-Americans treat their so-called colored citizen~ in vio-
eq~al" doctrine laid out by the Plessy v. Ferguson
lation ofthe very principles and rules laid out bv the Consti-
rulmg(163 U.S. 537, (896). The 1954decision held
tution makes him write that he was born "into slaverv in
that the "separale but equal" doctrine was unfair to
Feb. of 1942" (TB: 6) at the very time when the U.S.A.
African-Americans and other minorities and that
was claiming far and wide her determination to crush tvr-
therefore "separate education is unequal." These
anny so as to ensure the triumph of freedom, democr;;cy
~vents mark the beginning of a new surge of activ-
and the rule of law. This gap between the principles and
Ism among Blacks who organized themselves in or-
the actual ~ractices is to be ascribed, according to the poet,
der to undermine the foundations of the U.S. dis-
to the raclsm prevailing in the U.S.A. Since race is the
criminatory, segregationist and racist system. This
most basic fact of American life and since the white race
militant activism a Iso stirred Northern campuses into
is the one that subjugates the others, it ensues that the op-
a vigorous pursuit of social change; it "banished the
pressed segments of the American people must urgently
ugliest fcatures of McCarthyism from the Ameri-
reverse. the predominant state of things, by knocking down
can campus and resurrected political debate"v as it
the white power structure and throwing away the hierar-
galvanized white students into action.
chy of values imposed on the whole nation by the White-
This period of Black activism also saw the emer-
Anglo-Sa.xon Protestants (W.A.S.P.s). Il behooves the vic-
gence of a new black leadership with such promi-
tims of racist oppression3/4particularly Black people-to
nent personalities like Martin Luther King, Jr., and
replace those corrupted values and practices with ne\\\\' (mes
Malcolm X. The powerful rhetoric and forceful ideas
more in tune with their own racial aspirations and more i~
of these spokespersons endowed many African-
keeping with the stated ideals of the American creed. In
J\\mericans with a new racial consciousness and in-
that respect, Madhubuti calls 'upon Blacks to destroy the
spired them into action. The objectives and methods
producers and disseminators of those white values. (TB:
of action ofthose leaders might ditfer, yet their ulti-
6) The white values once destroyed, new ones have to be
mate goals were the same. For instance Martin
elaborated and disseminated. To annihilate the old ways
Luther King's avowed goal was the end of segrega-
and outlooks3/4that is the Euro-American ideology-and
tion and discrimination, and tinally the integration of
create new perspectives, visions and ways, these are the
African-Americans into the mainstream culture on
basic tasks that the poet assigns himself. However before
an equal basis \\Vith the other racial segments of the
delving ioto the depth and scope of his pocIic work, let us
country, a goal that should he attained by non-violent
tirst consider the socio-historical context in which it has
direct action. For his part Malcolm X, by tben a min-
originated.
ister of the Nation of Islam commonlv referrcd to as
As mentioned above Don L. Lee was born in 1942. Later,
Black Muslims was radically op~ to any plan
under the influence of the Black Muslims doctrine he r~
aiming at erasing Black cultural speciticity, by dis-
baptized himself Haki Madhuhuti. The pocI was born at a
solving it into whiteness. He consequently proclaims
time when the U.S.A. was undergoing deep changes. The
loudly his exclusive adherence 10 and support for
African-Americans whose participation in the 2nd World
the values of ihe Black nation and the Black race as
War has been decisive, now resent to be treated as sec-
a whole.
ond-class citizens. They couldn't understand tha! their coun-
Malcolm X's direct speech, his cali to militant action
try ~ds them as soldicrs ova foreign seas and in foreign
lead many Black youngstcrs to side with him in or-
lands m order to "promote and proteet the rights of ail who
der towork. for the rebabilitation oftheir race. Don
wish to be free"iv and that, at the same time those verv
L Lee (Baki Madhubuti) was one of them. His po-
rights are denied them at home. Thev have therefore r~­
etry delineates the different stages of his political
solved to tight for full citizenship ri~ and to put an end to
evolution and of his struggle for the advent of the
discriminative and segregationist practices.
Black nation. However his stance as a militani writer
The most outstanding event of the post-World War Il pe-
did not spring into existence as a sudden revelation'
riod for Blacks was undoubtedly the Montgomery bus boy-
it is rather the result of a long and graduaI proces~
cott. This non-violent mass action which began as protest
which began with the shock he experienced at the
against the backward racist practices of the Southern city
bombing of a black church in Birmingham, Alabama;
transportation system ended with the desegregation of the
a racist bomb attack that caused the death of four
city buses on 21 st December 1956, after the Suprerne Court
black little girls. This heinous crime by retrograde
had ruled tha! segregation 011 buses and other public means
white supremacists provoked a wave of indignation
1 Rev. CAMES - Série B, Vol 004, 2002
25

---

____________________________ Sciences sociales et humaines
in the USA and strengthened the poc"s determination to
AssimilatilJl1 was not easy but he made
take a more activc part in the struggle for the liberation
it come truc
of his billod brothcrs and sisters. He theref,'re resigl1ed
(Jerman American. white and pure
from his executivc job in a mail-order business and v.ent
Assimilation taken fix granted
back to collcgc to complete his training so as to put his
no problem to endure
pcn at the service of Black people's cau sc. Under the
Jewish Amcrican, am 1 not whitc t"O?
pressure of events he decided to re-orientate his lite by
Let me assimilate
'
hecoming a writer and singularly a poet. The circuHl-
1 can buy my way through.
'Stances that presided over that change of mind. thc ur-
African American. blac" man true;
gency of the actions to be undertaken, and finally his
Instant hate. (a mile away)
uncompromising dedication to the cause of the Blacks'
ANNIIIILATE!
liberation give a nev. aesthetic and ideological imprint to
Ileli No!
his work. This specia 1orientation first expresses itself in
fIe can't assimilate. (T 13: 21 )
the themes he deals with and which can be classitïed as
What Madhuhuti wants to drive home to his readcrs in
belonging to the categories of opposition and affirma-
that poem is that. if historically•.such v.hite sel:,'l11cnts of
tion. The poet's goal is to stand in opposition to every-
Eurn·!\\mericans as the Irish. the Italians ,lI' the k\\vs
thing that, in white America. works towards making the
have had assimilation problems and have suffercd from
African-American a second-c1ass citizen. 1n that task of
discrimination lln religious grounds. th.:) v.erc yd abl.:
denunciation. he reaches the conclusion that the main
to integratc into White Anglo-Saxon l'roteslant main-
enemy of Black people in the U.S.A. is white racism.
stream culture hccause oftheir v.hite s"ins. 'his is not
The second mark he prints on his poetl'y is his positive
the case of colored minorities whose s"in colürs. il is
vindication of blackness. The goal for him is to sing the
alleged. disqualifY them for any preferential treatmcnh.
black values and make them desirable. much in the tradi-
Another reason e\\o"ed by Euro-Americans to .:\\.plail1
tion of the Negritude poets. However his position shov.s
lheir hostility towards black people', intcgration is 'li
neither historicalnarcissism nor any mystifying self-com-
pretend that they lack "culture" and have "unci\\ ilized
placency toward past and present shortcomings of Black
ways." Theil' misbehavior supposedly justifies thl:Ïr ':\\.-
life. Nor is it primary anti racist racism. When he evokes
clusion. To put it plainly the Blac" American doc~ not
the past and emphaS"izes the specific values of Black
deserve to enjoy his fully-lledged citizen rights becallse
people. it is in order to reinsert them in their historical
,
he cannot live according to the standards established by
continuity and therefore render their present more intel-
"',; Whites, The poem "They Are Not Ready" illustrates
ligible. Such moves are necessary for the construction
this weil:
of a sound future. It is why he insists on the primacy of
They tell me that l am not
the ethnic imperative and fights whatever is likely to en-
fit for society-
danger it.
not bccause 1 am black but
The USA: A Basically Racist and Anti-B1ack Nation
becausc 1am fight dirty. and at night.
One idea l'uns through and dominates his tirst category
They say that 1 take advantage of
of poems 3/4the poems of denunciation. According to
natur~, by using her to help carry out
the poet. the Amcrican nation is founded on the my1h of
my misdeeds of looting sh"ps.
white supremacy and racism and is therefore incapable
burning realtors' olliccs
to assimilate non-whites into its social tl!bric. The dc-
and kccping fircmen out. (T B: 23)
marcation line in American society is neither religiOllnor
For MJldhubuti the argumems advanccd by Whites to
ideology but exclusively s~in color and continent of ori-
justify why they e>.dude Blacks from AIJ1erican life is.
gin. llence the hostility and the hatred white people harbor
in the tinal analysis, a big imposture. Taking every1hing
against non-whites, and espccially Black people. In the
into consideration. Blacks arc bound to be second c1ass
poem "Mainstream of Society" he c1early states the
citizens as they arc invited to respect norms established
stakes involved in the relations between the races in the
. hy Whites for the White~. l'he poet v.ho is not takcn in
U.S.A. lIis conclusion is that assimilatidn into mainstream
by the hypocrisy of their remar"s abOlit the so-called
American cu Iture is in' direct proportion to whether you
unprcparedness of the Blacks s.imply resorts to irony.
descend from Anglo-Saxon stock or from Irish. Latin.
As he expresses it. society equals v.hite people and that
Siavic or African origin:
is ail :
Irish American. white man too
You are society-white anglo-saxon,
He assimilated into society truc
standard setting.
Italian American, he passed on through
example setting.
do it like me pure Christian AmerÎcans. (TB: 23)
26
Rev. CAMES - Sc:'rit' B, Vol 004. 2002

---

- - - - - - - - - " - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ' S c i e n c e s sociales et humaines
For Madhubuti the argutnellt!; a«hanced by Whites
them alld giving strength what Madhubuti calls their Black
to justify why they exclude Blacls from American
Power. Il is that power that makes white people adopt irra-
life is. in the fmal analysis, a big imposture. laking
tional hehaviors. Howc\\er. to fully profit /Tom that pow..,..
everything into consideration, Blacks arc boulld to he
Blacks should take in their hands the vital eJernents oftheir
second class citizens as they are invitoo to respect
life. The most basic e1ernent that they must necessarily cc.n
oonns ..'Stablished by Whitcs for the White!>. The poet
tre'l is. according to the pot.'!. the education imparted tll th.:ir
who is not taken in by the hypocrisy ofthcir reman..s
chilJren.
about the so-callcd unpr..-parOOness ofthe Blacks sim-
1he Ncce'>sity of Ilaving an Authentic Education.
pl} n..'SOrts to irony. As he expresses it, society cquals
The asst.'I1i\\e hlack person who refuses -to know his pla.:,:"
white people and !hat is ail :
dœs not obviously fit in with the idea that the white pcoolc
Vou are society-white anglo-saxon.
hold of Blad.s. The type of Blacks that \\\\hite people cr,H'e
standard setting..
is. to the poct"s mind. "'negrocs- who "can daoc.., J'llay hlOl-
example setting..
bal l/ha'>t:h.1 1'
Ihose they na'1.l are '"nannie!> and wols. lnd
do it like me pure Christian Amcricans.
ncgrlll."S \\\\h,' ....;n C111l.'rtain (lN l,". 1hc others arc not \\\\antcd
(TB: 23)
(& arc considered extremely dangerousf' (TB: 61. To put it
ln reality what \\\\hite people want is. according to
plainly. the hlack Jll.'Oplc Ameri'can Wllitcs want ar.:: the al-
Madhubuti. to impose their nonns on the other seg-
ienatcd on..'5. those whose stUllted consciousncss pre\\ ent
ments of American society either forcibly tIr Ily en-
them from grasping the actual s!akcs of the Black presencc
ticing the latter to adopt their ways and conform to
in the U.S.A. The warped personalitie'> of American Blacks,
their ideals. Non-white minorities are expected to
Madhubuti con!end". taking up onc oi the fond rel1ections of
willingly accommodate thernselves with the prevail-
Carter Godwin Woodsl,". is the result oftheir -mis-educa-
ing state of thillh'!.. They should Ilot complain. hurl
tion." "Negroe'> trained" by white tcachers and pr..... idenb
abuses at their white "Iords", set tire to properties or
of Negro schools and colleges prcvented by -\\aw and cus-
~destroy what is ~il to them" (TB: 23). To hehave
tom from participating frcely in the life of the Negro" nlX-
otherwise is to display one's "savagery"' and prove
essarily "bec011lC dmvnright cowards,lwho) in life ',iIl con-
one's illcapacity to live in "eivilized"' company. The
tinue as sla\\e'> in spitc lll'their nominal emancipatil'n.-\\Î
white standard-selters and disseminators of norms
Falling in line with the arguments de\\eloped hy Carter
are not conccrned. in the lcast. \\\\ith knowing whether
Woods'lIl years ago. Madhubuti strongly. stresses that MU-
theirstandards arejust and suitabletoeverybody else.
cation heing the mcans through which the white ptw,(1" struc-
their goal is !hat cvery othcr racial st.'gmcnts of the
ture most dfccti\\cly "ceps Black people in O1CIltal hond-
nation folk}w them. But wben non-Whites reject those
age. thc latter must hait that proœss and even revt1"'iC il. In
values as non-valid and pattern their hehaviors ac-
the pocm entitled "Education" he points to the gap that cx-
cording to their own conceptions oflife. ludicrous situ-
ists hetween the ooucation gi\\en to Blacks and their social
ations may occur. This is iIIustrated by thc poern
predicalllent in America. The inadequacy and incfficicncy
"Steroo" in \\\\hich the poet casts ridicule on the irra-
t,f that ooucation as regards Black people's aspirations and
tional attitudes of white racists who would desert
conccrns i'> underscored. 1 he charge the poet Jcvels agai"st
swirnrning pools, restaurants, entire blocks. and even
it is that it lays emphasis on fake \\alucs and attitudes, over-
churches whencvcr a Black perSOIi is around:
looks tàcts of black life and culture w-hile belinling tha! which
i can clear a beach or s\\\\imming pool with-
is fundamenta 1to them. namely, to come to terms w ith t1lc-IIl-
out
selvcs. (TH: 11)
touching water.
Il is obvious that such a dcleterious kind of education has to
i can make a lunch counter becomc dt.'Sefted
he jettiS(,ned. Il halo no relevance for the 1lC\\\\ aspirations of
in less than an hour.
!31;lÇ!rs3S if.is jnsrj~1"roJll the ootside. Rack in the IlJ20<'.
i can make property value drop by being secn
Carter Ci Woodson sadly remarked in conncctîon to the Af-
in a rcaltor's tower.
rican-Arnerican situation that. apart from the Negro ('hurch
i AUlNE can make the word of God have
and "'a fev\\' ail but stanoo-out institution<.. the education of
little
the NegrOt.'S is controlled by thc other clement; and save the
or no mcaning to many
dramatÏLation of practical education by BOlller T. Washing.-
in Sunday rnoming's prayer hour.
ton. NegrtlC'> have not influenc.:.! the s)stern at ail." (571
i have Power,
Writing. live Jccad.."" lat...... Madhuhuti rcaches the same COII-
BLACK POWER.
(TB 3)
c1usion. As a re!>ult he urges hi., hlack feiiuws to d<> SOlll<.'-
By running away /Tom the Blacks as if tll-.") were
thing ab(tt!l 'i..: situation. Ilis major "oncern is llOl 50 much
plague-striclœn, the Whites are ill tact ernpowering.
to hurl opprobrium at \\\\hite ~Ie as to raiSe the political
27

---

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Sciences sociales et humaines
awareness of the Blacks. What is important to him is
ber of the "negro hourgl.'Oisie'·, He vvould have been spend-
to rcdeem hi~ blood biOthcrs by rC>..'ducating them along
ing his days trying to imitatc whitc middle c1ass peoplc, in
new lines and principles. to bring them to positively r~
his endeavor to be integrated into Caucasian society. And
assess and reevaluate their own culture and social con-
he certainly would have been cut off from his race and
dition. However, he insists, only Black experts working
would have suffered the psychological traumas that are
in an appropriate edueational system can adequately
the common lot of the misfits. ("Back Home Again", TB:
perftlrlll this major tas!.. What i~ at stake is to emanci-
7)
pate the minds of the Blacks in the U.S.A. and clse-
On the whole Madhuhuti's stance on blaek petlplc's edu-
where from the shackles of Western values and stand-
cation is that the type of education that has been given to
ards. He states in that respœt:
them so far at best favors material security and individual
The rejection of that which was/is ours has been the
salvation to the detriment of more collective and perennial
basis for the acceptance of that which is somet)lle
values. This can only lead to a dead end. For in proportion
else"s. Ihe most effective weapon u~ed against us has
as Blacks ingest white values. they lose grasp of and dis-
been the educational system. We now understand that
tance themselves from the cultural values of their people.
if white nationalism is our teacher. white natÎonalism
Unfortunately in spite of ail their efforts they never suc-
will be our philosophy regardless of ail its comradictory
ceed in hecoming white. Worse still. the) willingly cnslave
and 31lli- blac!. implications. The educational process
themselves to the white dominant power structure and
is Sclllp largely 10 preserv e that which is, not that which
are morc eflicaciously controlled because it is their minds
necessal'ily needs to be created. i.e. Blac!. Nationalism
that are nmv hcld in hondage. This is why Baki Madhuhuti
or black eonsciousness. (WNW: 12)
insists on the rcsponsihility of Blacks to conccivc oC im-
BO\\vever ridding the minds of the Black people of the
plement and control ail the stages of the cducational proc-
infeeted white values is not enough, Blac!. educational
ess and huild instead a system that hest suits their needs.
experts and intellectuals in ail fields ofactivity are called
(Enemies: 6)
upon to shape the thin!.ing abilities oftheir petlple. 10
Ihc Celehration of the Black WOll1an
huild a new educational system capahle of doing away
T he importance of education in Madhuhuti's concerns
with the "culturalnihilism" in whkh Rlac!.s existed in
ta!.es goes a step fürther when it comes to raising black
the late 1960s is, for Madhubuti, a paramount tas!. of
females. For the poet, hlack women should he the tirst
which the corollary is to hring about tlle emergencc of
target gmup to be given a sound education. As a rule his
a new type of African-American "innovators and pro-
wor!. is replete with poems devotcd to Blac!. women.
duccrs of positive change" (Wl\\:W: Ill) ,\\ main pitfall
\\Vhether in such collections of poell1s as Thin!. Black..
to bc avoided in that proeess is the metaphy sical thin!.-
Blac!. Pride, Don't Cry. Seream. Book of Life, We Walk
ing that çonsbts in qualifying al\\ White, ev il and all
the Way of the New \\\\'nrld and in boob of cssays and
Blaç!.s good. Since the writer focuses his enagy on
,;ocial or literaI) critieisms like Enemies: the Clash ofRaçc,
hlac!. salvation. he cannot hear the irresponsibilitv and
or Dynamite Voices: New Black Poets of the IlI60svii,
foolbhness of those African-Americans who !.cep on
the writer devotes a large part of his rclledions to the
aping whire people. The 13t!er Ile scornfully laheb
hlack \\\\omanhnod. In thc Way of thc New World, a spe-
"negro/nigger/ igga/I.new/grow," terlns that he con-
cial section. "Blac!.\\voman Poems·'. is <~onsecrated to the
trasts vvith Blac!.s. that is raœ conscious and politically
topic.
aware Americans of Airican descent. ('onsequcntly
The poefs first poell1S arc celebrations orthe hlack woman
the targets ofhis ritieism are not onl) white suprell1acists
mllch in the tradition of the Negritude writers. As a poill1
hut also and more 50 Negroes with "hlack skins and
of fa ct he quotes Let)pold S. Senghor's poem "Na!.ed
white masks." Such people he ca Ils "attaché-case car-
\\Voman. Black Woman" as epigraph to the section. How-
riers". and "Uncle Toms." He also ta!.es to task "ncgro
lOver he does not limit his goal to praising the heauty and
imdlectuals" (w ith "Ph. DI5J. in psy-chol-o-gy and holes
grace of the Black wnman. He goes heyond the singing
in 1thcir 1hrains". and the "curopean-african" who struh
ofher physical good loo!.s to wholly appraise her in ail her
ahout because he "lOok a double at oxford." (DCS: 49)
dimensions and make her an agent for bringing about a
lIowever inauthentic those alienated Negrocs. the)' are
positive change in thelifp of-heL.people. and a fighter in
no\\ so much to he treated as cnemics as victims to be
the struggle for the Iiberation of the black race. For
re-educated for a pnoiti"" ('h~ngp Hpre the poet is
Madhuhuti the importancp ofthp Black woman is capital:
spea!.ing out experience, Ile himself was nearly lost
she is al the base of thc construction of the Black nation
for the race. llad he kept his executive position in the
he is calling for. Withnut her active and conscious partici-
mail-order husiness with which he \\\\as working. hc
pation. the Blaek nation is doomed to failure. 1le makes
would certainl)" have become a status-sceking mem-
this clear in sectio'n 37 of Boo!. of Life:
28
Rev. CAMES - Série H. Vol 004. 2002 1

---

-----------------------~Scie,.ces sociales et humaines
a nation cannot gro\\\\. \\\\-ithout its W,lIT1efI
to the poet, not only harmful to the individual but al50
[he imelligl."I1Ce of a nation
ultimalciy dcstrLICli\\l' for the race. Of course. MadhubUli
is reflected in ils \\,ornen
is aware ofthe fl.'3sons why some women foolishly adopt
\\\\-ho bear children ti'r the nation
such selt~destructi\\'eattitudes. Indeec the dominant Euro-
and arc charged with the earl)' education of the
American culture with its smothering tentacles has suc-
nation.
cC\\..'(!l.'Il in impnsing its standards of consumering beaUly
a nation cannot have intelligem women
on ail aspect'> of American life and blacl.. \\\\-omen with
unies., the women arc trcatcd imclligcntl~
wcak self-images easily become unwilling victimsofthosc
and gi,en much lo,e. 1B0L 51,
norms. But what escapes their sagacily. Madhubuti re-
The Riad. woman\\ cemral po.,ition in the building of
marks, is thal that manufaclUrca beaut).' is "the cxact
the nation explains why the writer indic[., thé fonli.,h
opposite of our m\\n self image. / nue to this we sec
pe..'ple WIKl hamper her bl,loming and hcr de\\ell>l":' ,{
beau!)' in o[hers ; and tàilto scc it in ourselvl.'S. i This
by putting limÎts on her. Thcir .,lUpid ity. he contenJ·
kads to destructive .,e1f-conœpts that/will not only af-
ri\\e., from their incapacit). 10 S,"C the dialectical CI'lIl1l.'I.:-
!l.'·ct our relationship ;' with ollf'>Clves bUl will affect our;
tion that exi.,ts heh,cclI the de,e1opment of [he blacl..
relationship with the world for the worst." (BoL: 55)
woman and that of Ihe Black nalion. They sœm ln be
Thl' poct"s \\\\illlO ereate psychologieally balanecd and
•
hlind to [he truth that " the full potential of a nation!
mentally sound Blacl..s abo leads him io stigmatize what
cannùl he reaiiTed nille,>., the" full pOlemial ofib womell
he occms sclf-oestructi\\c and inauthemic attitudes in
is realill.'Il:' (BoL: 53) 1fthe women of a nation are left
Blacks. fhe targets ofhis razor-cdged criticism are those
ill idlelll.'Ss or eonfined 10 peny posiiion'> and Illenial j,lbs,
black women who in'est their fortune in the acquisilion
thl' nation run., a great risk since ..the suhsiance and
of expensive \\\\ igs and suits. and who fast move from
melUal attiwde of a nation ean he sccn in the \\\\ay' ilS
one club io the other lool..ing ti.lr wearicJ while clients
womell act and move throughout the nation heing pro-
who come in wilh "i don't want to hear bout nOihing
duc[ive. If Ihe women ha\\e nothing 10 do. il reflccls
black IOnighC (WNW: 331 The poet also expresses his
what the nation is not doing. If the women have sub-
disappointment with the sisters \\\\-ho pretend that they
slance and arc given responsible positions. the nalion
are militams of the black cause but who. in their daily
has suhslance and is responsiblc:' (RoL: 541
lives, are consoning with white men. Their inconsisten-
eies pro\\'Oke the poct's indictment. In "Poem for Black
Th~ plaù: ,'f choi.:e that ll~ Black \\\\ oman occupies in
Women"" fi,r instance. he speaks of a strong and beauti-
the edilication of the black nation also imposes on ht:r
fui sister "whose words cut thru me like rat tecth" forc-
,,~1'x:E,~ d\\!tic"- ;hat she must nccl><;sarily perform if she
ing him Il' ta I.e a clear stand tor the cause. Uer words
doc:; 'hll, ,'"ml!<'· hé'rray her historical mission and dîsap-
not only 5timuiateJ him, but also "movOO- him to the point
p"i..,. ijer p.:ople·s expectation,>. 11er first task in tha[
that he 1..'\\ en .. dreamed ah<lUl our union. two black peo-
regard i, to endow herself with a stable r'~ ch,'I<>gical
ple groO\\ ing"". lIis disapp.,jntment was inversely· r>ropor-
base apt hl \\\\holly im~se her in the ~,!h:Jre (lfihe
tional to the .:onsideration he had for her when he saw
Blacl.. :--'atÎ'ln. in (;(ller words: she mus[ I:'tUlld for herself
her in a white man's arm, ""smiling those words: 'black-
;,;; amhmtic cu!lu:ai and racial idcntity and avoid irra- ,
ness ain'[ nl't shit..,. (1 B: 10)
tiœ,l,! bd..,~, j;v,. likely t<' cut her <,ff from th.: r1urturing
What h.: is pointing out for indictment is the inconsistent
r,)Qts olll~r <:UhUfC. :\\ ladhubutÎ strongly rl~nts thpse
altitude of the sister and the damage it is likely to intlid
hlacl.; \\\\ornen \\ü:Go..)l1 \\\\hite \\\\ornen's li\\'eries. \\\\ hl' paint
10 the black cause: m(lrcover it is an expression of self
thcmsehes up. or "ho bleach their sl..ins. In Book of
deception and alienation. Another example ofsorne black
Life he sends tlK:m the following \\\\aming:
wornen·S fil(llish beha\\'i,'r he critÎcizes is the one that
If d \\\\llman co\\er~ herself with paints: of blues. rai
consists in giving more preference to pels than to human
~ra"'. and \\elJ.ms/ ~he unJ.nc,\\\\ in!!h kHls her skin. i she
. . . . . .
... .
beings. To transtèr positive and enhancing feelings to
un l.; nm, ingl) sr.-~l.v; iitè fwm the tirst layer co\\ ering.
~}:lil!'..als \\\\hile underrating one's fellow human beings is
! 10 paint a tkv..er white that is n3lUrally red is to / cIO'iC
a c1ear indicatinn that one has lost one's human '1nributes.
ih breathing pves and intCITupt its nalmal skin gnmlhi
To overfi.xd dogs and cats while leaving black people to
the tlO\\\\er will SOOIJ dic./w paint black skill gl:'XIl. or-
starve Il' death is. at 1x'S1. a regrcssi,ln to nimali~ic con-
ange and .lthcr colors.'is to display blacl.. skin as sorf..~­
dition. This is precisely the cas<: ofthe Supremcs' singer
Ihing that· ~hould he hidden from the actual '\\(lf'ld' and
Diana Rl)"s \\\\ho \\\\ent "madddd- and -crioo her eye-
~h\\\\ I~ suffocated from lite. (BoL: 5-l)
lashes otT on the occasion of the death of her, two dogs
The apPf')'f'r;"ti"!l of w~ite beauly as norm is, accPrding
TilTan~ and Li" 1BiC. 11er refusai to he consoled and her
avo""ed attachment to her dogs make the poet to cali her
1 Rev. ClUIES - Séri~ R Vol 004, 2002
29

---

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _....:Sciences sociales et humaines
"a dog lover". Of course Madhubuti has no antipathy
Consequently he refuses to play the indignant and hYPl>-
for pets; however he eannot understand that human be-
;,:ritieal moralist when he speaks of the not very com-
ings he left to waUow in misery in a "Iand where poodles
rnendable sexual hehavior of some black women COIll-
eat! live c1eaner than their masters." His indignation
pelled by the cireumstances to trade in sex in order to
reaches its peak when the dog lovers "use the colored
eke out a Ii~ ing. He contents himself to rccord the làcts
people to walk that which they love. while they wander
but he dues not eondemll the felllaie forced by poverty
in & out of our lives running the world" (WNW: 37). As
and hunger to sell her body. (TB: 13)
he reminds "Iittle surpreme" Diana. "only the weil l'cd
The poet's almost natural asceticism, his antipathy aod
forget'" (38) the elementary facts of black misery. His
even his active hostility towards any sexual deviation lead
refusai to side with her is due to the fact he cannot un-
him to reprove any sex trading. 'l'et he kIlOWS, out of
derstand how someone of her kind who "once knew/
experience, that when the individual is under duress he
knows the hungry days" could behave the way she was
will resort to ail worthless means in order to survive: his
doing. The shallowness ofher "childlike vision" is sim-
instinct of self- preservation will make him throw a.... ay
ply worrying; it is the expression of the alienation she
any moral values established by society. Under sueh cir-
has undergone and which has "moved her c1eeper into
cumstances it is not the victim that is to be condemned
lassicland to bccome the new wonderwoman of the dirty-
but rather U:'~ society that has provol.ed hi,,/her defile-
world." (37) What Madhubuti cannol accept. he says, is
ment.,
the change undergone by the star who has now eut her-
Ali in ,,:1. \\\\ hen i\\ladhubuti focuses his intere"t on the
self off l'rom her roots and revels in ego worshipping.
Hlal.:l. .... omun, h", explores her in ail her dimensions. He
(\\VNW: 38) The gifted voice who could have hecome a
kno.... s that she endures a lot of sufterings, lhat both \\vhite
positive l'ole model for emerging generations has instead
and blacl. ma les exploit her physicaHy as weil as sexu-
joined "the hippy generation to bccome unhipped, / to
a:I\\' The \\\\ay Bhck males sometimes treat her is not
bccome the symbol of a new aberration,! the wearer of
on!y ùlIltcmptible. but also eondlOHlIlable. Not to sho....
other people's hair./ to bceome one of the l'cal animais
re"p"...::t towards one's mothcr. sistcr or spouse is silllply
ofthis earth." (WNW: 38).
stupid. However the vHiter does not overlook her dc-
Madhubuti's goal. as has bœn pointed out earlier, is not
fccts. lu faet he somctimes lays so strung an emphasis
to merci)' hm! criticisms at the few inauthentic black
on her shortellmings that on,' senscs that he is ne! lotail)'
women; in fuct he does so with rcluctance in order to
JC\\l'id Jf male chauvinistic prejudice,>, lhi, ShlN,:;
better cclehrl'te the heauty, and courage, in short. the
thruugh rht' pœm entitled "Quiet Ignorant Happincss" in
sterling virtues of the majority ofthem. Ile .... ants to pay
which after eelebrating the black woman's beauty and
tribute tl) them for the physical and moral pains they
....armth, he urges her "Not tll he hlinded by deceptions
have endured for centuries. What makes them excep-
and ohliquities" and 3void the eorrupted ideas disscmi-
tional creatures, worthy of our admiration, is that the
nated by the mainstream culture. rhis is 50 hecause "the
sufTerings and ill treatments meted out to them have not
untouehed .... ill d.... e11 l'l'ce and happy and (JPTlMISTIC."
broken their determination to l'aise the il' otfspring with
,\\'i a result he concludes by underlining thc ideas he is
dignity and proteet them l'rom the dangers of the im..an-
aliuding tll .... ith the Il)II'1\\Ving .... ords: ,,' dread the d,lY
ity of the Ameriean system. In that respect, tlley have
when/ Hel' womb is brol.en/ For then/ She \\~ill ask t'lI'
saved the race and deservc to he given a .... arm credit
... / EQUALlTY.' (T13: 18)
for that. That only feat explains wh) the poet castigates
The nlllst plausible explanation one ean give of the po-
the machism and the irrcsponsibility of sorne male Afri-
e!'s restôntment to hear of cquality bd\\\\l.:l.:n thl.: sc;..,c, is
can-Americans to.... ards the black. WOJ]U!LTb~pD.e!ll­
~t hi~ \\Vnrd~ ~re aimed at the hazy theorics of cquality
"Understanding But Not Forgetting" deals, among other
advanced by white women's liberation I1Ill\\ ements that
topics, with tccnage pregnancie~ ~nrl mllitiple pregnan-
make ah'itrarLman ,he;r mainenemy. These theories
cics. He Jaments the fate and the ordeals of a "sister
lead up to a curious I;',d of militantism. wlJidJ is dia-
with fivc children bel'ore the age of 22, she has never
mnrically opposed tr:· ;!;,~ idea that Madhuhuli has of a
known a day of hapnincss." ln faœ of this derc!i(;tion
tl'!!<' revolutiollary mdiwntislll.
the poet wonders ilh, is not the one who should actually
P·.'etr~,' and the,l1laeL!i.ellolution
l'cel unhappy. t'lI' if as hl' repeats again and again, the
ivladhubuti"s milit"n: stance. \\\\v; have remarktVL ;, dlOcply
black woman is the fllture of her ral.:e. an adequate solu-
illl'11ersed in the rC:iiiiy of race, il Î> tre ,.,;'.: cause he
tion should he lllllllct to the pmblem of unplanned preg-
:.:diHnantly defcwl:'. His l:Ollllllitmcnt t,·, ,1:.,' olack race is
nanl.:;es. Thl.: people res[lnnsible of such a state of things
iota!. radicai anl! ,,'linerS no c()rnrr~,!·:i3è. His stand on
arc, here agluiÇmack Il1l.:n whn tàil torlo tli~ir duties as
Uv: 'l11estlonderivcs trom a t~Cl: i~:'l.;k peopk arc dcs-
educators and proh..'Ctors of their fil-,"ile ~"", mpan ions.
pcralely laggiug behinJ the otlwi' races: they stand mll-
"
30
Re". CAMES, Sl'rit' B. Vol 004, 2002 1

---

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - : - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Sciences sociales et humaines
tionless in a fast-moving world. The reasons for this op-
cal, spiritual or ideological persuasion. We are now told
position to progress are to be found in the history of the
from the "B1ack" left, right and in-bet\\'oeen that the strug-
black people worldwide. They ave been enslaved, they
gle is mainly a mind struggle and has little to do \\'oith
have been 0pFressed and they are currently victims of
color. Again, depending on \\Vhom you quote or folio\\\\',
various forms of racisl practices. The challenge they have
the minds of Black pc.'Ople need, according to them, to be
to take up is how, as people and as race, they can com-
divinelycleansed or id\\..'Ologically developed or both. Il
mand the respect of the other races and occupy their
this change takes place \\ve will suddenly understand that
legitimate place in the concert of nations. To adequately
skin color is minor to our struggle and at best an "acci-
answer that challenge one should have recourse to the
dent ofbirth." We aretold, as ififs new information, that
history of the black race not only on the Ameriean conti-
there are Black devils and agents that \\'oil! kill us quicker
nent but also in Africa. The teachings of that history are
than the white devils or agents. (Enemies: 7)
that, as a race, the Blacks wield no real power. Because
Suçh twisted appraisals of the black condition amount.
of their prolonged contact with the white race, they have
according to the poet, to a calI to suicide. Retlections like
forsaken any racial feelings and scorn concerted action
these are bound to end up in ineluctable defeat for the
and racial solidarity. In other words Blacks and espe-
race. In reality, tho~e who subordinate their racial identi-
cially African-Americans betray themselves and jeop-
ties to their potitical or religi'lus or philosophical conv ie-
ardize their own interests because of their inept wishes
tions eventually pro\\e to be the willing accomplices to
to be "accepted" by whites. The result is that. at tlle
their own enslavement. This is why Madhubuti is strongly
world level, Blacks are characterized by their inner divi-
opposed tn biack membership in \\'ohite organizations: he
sions and intemecine wars whereas Whites, in spite of
considers them as being fundamental!y anti-black because
their difTerences, remain basically united for the defense
their hidden agenda is always to promote \\\\ hite su-
of their best interests concerned and work every day
premacy to the detriment of Black people's advancement.
towards strengthening their unity. From these considera-
(Enemies: 9).
tions, the'poet states his principles and viewpoints as re-
From such principled positions, Madhubuti dra\\'os the pn.l-
gards the black race. He insists especially on racial feel-
file of his ideal black militant and assigns him the task~
ing and solidarity: "The only job that is mandatory is work-
that he holds basic for the redemptiol1 of Blacks. Ilis
ing for the race. The only security we have is each other,
main task in that respect is, he constantly reminds us "to
working for the race together. As long as a people do not
attack the anti rathcr than be the pro" (BoL: lOI. It is
know these basic facts, they will not function as a people
why he directs his blows at fuzzy-headed pseudo-revnlu-
and will remain enslaved as a people, not as individuals."
tionary Blacks who, under the pretcxt of revolutionary
(BoL: 10-11 )
action, would commit such criminal actions as setting fire
Those Blacks who refuse or hesitate to act on the basis
10 apartment hou ses sheltcring black families pretending,
of these stated principles are, he holds, traitors and Tro-
so doing, to clean the black ghettoes of siums:
jan horses introduced in the midst of the race to speed up
u feel that way sometimes
its demise. Those defenders and disseminators of anti-
wondering:
black values would pretend when justifYing their stand-
as a blackwoman & her 6 children
point that race or racial identity is of no real importance,
are burned out of their apartment with no place
that the priority should be given to community of inter-
to go & a nappy-headed nigger cornes running
ests or ideas or to religious or political atliliation. More
thru
often than not such people will declare: "I"m not Black.
our neighborhood with a match in his hand cryin
l'm MarxisC;"l'm no! Black. l'm Pisce~'ï'Tmnot Black..
revolution.
(WN W: 33)
l'm a Muslim"f ''l'm not Black. l'm Human"f ''l'm not
Thi~ fa Ise conception of the hlack revolution is not lim-
Black l'm a Christian"(Enemies: 7)
ited to woolly haired arsonists \\'0 ith shallow ideas. He
ln front ofsuch confused arguments, Madhubuti calls on
a Iso indicts those sclf-styled Black revolutionaries for
ail conscious Blacks to take a stand and avoid imitating
",hom the revolution consist~ in wearing African
thosc among them who wish to be cvcrything exccpt bcing
dresscs like the "dashiki" or in spcaking a fe\\\\ \\\\crds
proud oftheir truc dark-skinned selves. The reasons the}
of AIrican languages like Swahili or Yoruba. Shell
put forth as justifications oftheir death wishcs consist in
nccklaccs and blO\\vout hair tashions and "cool"
belittling the fact of race itself despite the evidencc to the
behaviors alone do not make one a revolutionary, the
contraI). As he put it.
poet maintains. A genuine rcvolution is not il passing
The cOllfu,ion is out there. Be an)thing but Black. fhe
fad nor is it skin-deep.
_:.~1 -'.~r
y~ Riu __ .
=::~a!:Lne_:,'; hu\\ ot:CUj~-V
- "..'j;( _ t'.i
~,__'j d~- at~.j r~actieLaJ~, tu other-;. JcpenditH; Oïl t"'>_:r ni ~ ;li-
o
1 Rev, CAMES - Série B. Vol 004, 2002
j j

---

Sciences sociales et humaines
--....;...-..;,..----------------
cultura" nationalism or simple identification witb Africa or
Doubleday, publishing houses owned and controlled by
the Third World. It is why in «The Third World Bond» he
the very whites they pretend to inveigh. Apparentiy their
hcartily laughs at the «blklrevolutionist» who wou Id talk
diatribes against white people do not prevent them from
profusely of «the power of chinalquoting mao every 3rd
letting themselves he financially exploited by those same
word» and «ma king bonds with the 3rd world thru chinese
people who send the returns of their sales to Israel or
women.» (DeS: 56) But at the same time they seem to
Ireland to contribute to the building of their respective
neglect the actual problems prevailing in their
nations of origin. For Madhubuti genuine militant activ-
neighborhoods. Such criticisms do not entail that Madhubuti
ism is taking a concrete part in the building of the black
is advocating the isolation of Blacks nor their withdrawal
nation. He shares Nick Aaron Ford's opinion according
into themselves. Quite the contrary. Their struggle, he in-
to which an authentic revolutionary movemcnt should be
sists. is part and parcel ofthose being waged byenslaved
dedicated ta "the rejection of CUITent American stand-
and oppressed and exploited people at world level in order
ards of morality, justice, education, social behavior and
to liberate themselves rom the c1aws of rapacious blood
aesthetics" and their replacement by "black standards
sud,ers. There is a strong community of interests between
tailored to fit the exclusive feelings and needs of the black
ail «the wretched of the world;» and they have to find the
American subculture."viii As defined by Palmer, a true
most adequate tenns on which to base their collaboration.
revolution. " must give definition to the nation. Revolution
Unfortunately. the poet regrets. racial solidarity is not yet
must cali for and act to bring about an end to white su-
an entrenched rcality among Blad..s. He is saddened by
premacy. colonialism. and oppression embodied in West-
the fact that Black people should be killing other Black
ern idcas which affect and infect the existence of black
people for futile rcasons, to the profit of their worst en-
people. The process of nationhood must conceptualize
emies.
and structure the projections and possibilities of black
. ln that respect the poem "Nigerian Unity/or little niggers
existence."ix
l...illing little niggers" is quite relevant. The poem, dedicated
It is to a like task that Madhubuti wants to devote him-
hl Nigerian writcrs Christopher Okigbo and Wole Soyinka,
self; his conception of his role as a poet is that of gath-
mcans to denounce the stupidity and the suicidai nature of
erer of people around fecund and progressive idcas about
the Biafran war. For Madhubuti that war was a war of
the black race. Therefore his poetic work is more a rally~
plunder inspired by Western oil interests and waged
ing cry than a war cry. Its aim is "to make people rcady
througb "puppet niggers" with the ultimate aim of break-
for positive action but is in no way a substitute for revolu-
ing Nigerian unity. And while the "puppet niggers" are
tionary action." ln any case, the poet knows quite weil
killing one another, the actual war-makers are growing
"that poetry is preventative medicine and in the event of
strong out of the huge profits they make, not only from
an imminent threat to existence (physical or spiritual)
their sales of lethal wcapons, but also from the exploita-
poetry must be abandoned in favor of direct action:'x
tion of our natural resources. (DeS: 43).
Clcarly for him, poetry writing is not an end in itself. The
The blindness that goads "Nq!:roes" Il' ~abotagetheir own
revolutionary poet not onl)' shapes and informs minds so
interests and pushes "Iittle niggers to killother little niggers."
as to prepare them for action, but he is also rcady to take
the madness that arms "the wcak against the wcak," "the
hold of his gun and spill his blood for the cause he is
ugly against the ugly," changing the "realpeople" into
defending. He makes this clear in his "Two Poems"
"un people" derives from the cowardice and the cupidity
(Sketches from a Nappy-Hcaded Poeo especiall)' in the
of a handful of negro leaders and intellectua!s "'or thp
second p"rt:
poet that type of \\vhitewashed Blacks with ail their double
i ain't seen no poem stop a .38
degrees from Oxford are ont ooly alieoated !:urt ilio the
i ain't seen no 5tanzas brake '3 ho{!Jd.e.'~~d,
objective enemies of the legitimate interests of their peo-
i ain't seen no metaphors stop a tank,
ple and their race. (DeS: 4q)
i aint seen no words kill
Ilowever not only arsonists and alienated intellectuals are
& until my similes can protect me from a nigbt
the targets-nf thp POf't'q:riticisms. He also indicts, as in
stick
the poem "The Revolutionary Screw~" the Black peopl.e
i guess l'Il keep my razor
whothinkJ:hat revolution-eonsist..... io hollow or_~ompous
& bllY me sorne more bllllct.
verbiage or in invectives against any1hing and anybody
As is the case with most of the Black poets who
white. 1le is nartlCll~ c'iUstic tow.anis self-ptocJaimed
eqwrged ;n the wake of the fight for civil Iifhts in the
militant black writers who cast spite and !,all on the
IQ60s. Madhubuti is aware that to be socially relevant a
"money-crazy Jews" and "power-crazy Irish" but who
poet should go beyond that which is "personal to bcing an
neveTtheless pubhsh thelr works wlth-Random or
active part of the people:' he has to move to a pOlm where
32
Rev, CAMES - Série B. Vul 004. 2002

---

- - - - - - - - - - - -
Sciences sociales et humaines
he feels a "sense of oneness with the community:' That
the abbreviated words, the slashed words, the fused words,
oneness is retlccted in his use of the first-person plural
the small letter "i" and the omission of capital letters and
and in his ability to create images truc to the genius of the
certain pronunciation ~arks are in themselves experimen-
black tradition. His images. Pau la Giddings writes in that
tally revolutionary ald befit the poetic utterances of revo-
cllnneetion. "find their being in ora 1expression-that raps.
lutionary writers:'xiii
sings. pounds on old words to fonn new ones. makes
Such a conservativc Afro-Ameriean eritie as Arthur P.
verbs into nouns. noun~ into verbs. screams. sings. fills
Davis has qualified the poetry of Baki R. Madhubuti and
words with color or makes them faillike gentle rain. His
the black pocts of his persuasion as " the new poetry of
language is alive and is not to be doted on for its grace
black hate" because the latter c1aiJTl their blackness and
and gentility.like a museum piecc:'xi Indccd Madhubuti's
use thc term black as "a philosophy, a morality and a reli-
language is that of the black eommunities. it is the lan-
gion based on the experiences and the sulferings of Afri-
guage they spcak when they "Ieave white sehools and 1
cans and Afro-Americans" and bl.'Cause they detest whites
or teachers:' the language they speak when they get
whom they cali "whitey" or "honkeys" and also because
home. The poeCs choice of the Black English Vernacu-
they reject "middle class Negrocs who still try to he and
lar is important because it legitimize~ the black reality
act like the best white folks. who still feel that integration
..
and validates hb O\\vn voice a~ a race poct. The message
rather than separatism is the goal of our fight for freedom
hc wants to drive home to us by wTiting in that medium is
in America."xiv But Baki Madhubuti and the revolution-
that ..the black verbal expression traditional in the black
ary poeh of his school start from the fact that the position
communities is not an aberration of the "King's English:'
of the middle class Negroes on the race Question leads to
xii It is a language that attests to the creativ ity and inven-
a dcad end and that their course of a~tion,has ra be
tiveness of once cnslaved people who have bl.'Cn deprived
revisioned. Moreover their respective aims are poles apart.
oftheir native tongues and denied aecess to those oftheir
Indeed what lIaki M&dhubuti wants to fight for is the dig-
enslavers. As with the Christian church service or with
nity of the black man and the progress of the black ra.:\\;,.
Western standardlJ1usic.the African in bondagetook hoId
His goal is to emaneipate the black man's mind from the
of .... hatever in'their enslavers' cultùral traits was in tune
shacides of Western ideology by exposing his aberrant
with their spirituaJ yearnings and made it a spontaneous
behaviors and by end~wing him with the intellectual and
and warm expression oftheir O\\vn culture. Mat1l1ubuti's
moral and spiritual resources apt to strengthen him psy-
poctrv reflects those expressive forms mainlv charaeter-
chologically to withstand.the subtle and overt attempts of
ized hy orality and musicaiii) .•Iis poems ar; IJ1c;ntto be
the white power structure and eeonomie interests at keep-
read aloud and forccfully delivàl.x1 muehin the tradition
ing him in a subordinate position. If ever that strategy ends
of the black preacher. Ilis line of poetry is, always ac-
up in failure he is ready to go a step beyond to the su-
cording to Paula Giddings, .. polyrhythmic. short. uneven
preme sacrifice.
and explosive" and cnnveys a sense of urgency in the
rccesses of its rhythm. Il makes you listen because of
Résumé. Le poète africain-américain Haki Madhubuti
the use ofthat rhythm .... hich serves as a linking force of
(alias Don L. Lee) inscrit son œuvre dans une perspec-
the divcrse element~ of the poetry. Rhythm signifies a
tive militante résolument afrocentrique. Ce choix résulte
sense of order. a pulsating foundation from which to in-
en droite ligne du racisme. de la discrimination et de la
teTllalize the poetry:' (312) Another feature of
ségrégation que vivent les Noirs aux Etats-Unis. Eu égard
Madhubuti's poetry lies in its absorption of African-Ameri-
aux conséquences négatives que cette situation exerce
can musical and vowel sounds in its texture. Like such
sur leur vie économique. politique. et sociale et à ses re-
jazz singers as Pharaoh Saunders or especially John
tombées sur leur ex istence individuelle et collective tant
l oltrane. !lis pœms scream. "sin!!/ loud & higlll with tèd-
au plan mentallJuïntellectuel. le poète s'assigne pour tâ-
ing! 'oing loud! & high w ithl feeling! lettingl yr! voiccl
che de les doter d'une conscience claire des enjeux qu' ;:'1-
break" (\\)cS: ~91: like maehine-~uns they erepitatc. The
plique leur présence aux Etats-Unis en les ré-enculturalll
lilial impression he wants to convey is to make poctic
dans leurs traditions historilJues africaines et africaines-
language coincide with music. beeome music. By S,) do-
américaines. La finalité de celle prise de conscience doit
ing he makes us forget the horrors Blacks have 'ouffered
ètre l'émergence d'un nouveau type d'Africains-Améri-
\\\\hilc making us "hearken to the c1arion cali for self-ae-
cains politiquement conscients: déterminés à contrôler tous
tualilation. change anrl rpvollltion. Ihe style and rhythm
les asplXb de leur existence et intellectuellement hien
and lit~ \\ocabulaT\\ are ail based upon traditions set up bv
outillés pour opérer la révolution politique d sodalé dont
l":',' ''0', qjutionary ''filers. hut updated to su il modern
les Etat,,·l ''1'5 'ml un be<'c!Il wg:ent. l\\lai, la ooésie il'cot
, - - - ---_.'- ".
r Rev. CAMES _ Série B. Vol 004. 2002
33

---