KOMPA! MAGAZINE

[DJ Kreyol]

March 13, 2006 -- YOUNGSTER'S BLACK-POWER POEM RILES SCHOOL

A 7-year-old prodigy unleashed a firestorm when she recited a poem she wrote comparing Christopher Columbus and Charles Darwin to "pirates" and "vampires" who robbed blacks of their identities and human rights.

Hundreds of parents of Peekskill middle- and high-school students received a recorded phone message last week apologizing for little Autum Ashante's poem, titled "White Nationalism Put U in Bondage."
"Black lands taken from your hands, by vampires with no remorse," the aspiring actress and poet wrote. "They took the gold, the wisdom and all the storytellers. They took the black women, with the black man weak. Made to watch as they changed the paradigm of our village.

"Yeah white nationalism is what put you in bondage. Pirates and vampires like Columbus, Morgan and Darwin."

Autum was invited to speak at the Westchester schools on Feb. 28 by Melvin Bolden, a music teacher at the middle school who advises the high school's Black Culture Club and is a member of the Peekskill City Council.

Autum, whose résumé includes several television appearances and performances at the Apollo Theater and the African Burial Ground in Manhattan, told The Post that her poem was meant to instill pride in black students and to encourage them to steer clear of violence.

"I don't think there's anything wrong with my poem. I was trying to tell them the straight-up truth," Autum said. "I'm trying to tell them not to fight because they're killing the brothers and sisters."

Autum, who is home-schooled in Mount Vernon and speaks several languages, prefaced her performance at the high school with a Black Panthers' pledge asking black youngsters to not harm one another.

It did not sit well with parents.

In a telephone interview with The Post, Bolden said Autum has been "unofficially" banned from performing in a district school again and that school officials would review transcripts of future speakers.

"It's unfortunate, because some teachers said they wanted this little girl to explain the things she said to their students, but some parents don't want her on school grounds," Bolden said.

"[The poem] might have been a little too aggressive for what the middle-school kids are ready to handle," Bolden added.

Kimberly Greene, a mother of children in the high school and middle school, said she was shocked when she got the recorded phone message.

"If there are people who are upset about what she said, the schools should have talked about and analyzed it rather than send a message to everyone saying this little girl was offensive," Greene said.

Autum's father, Batin Ashante, said he can't believe the fuss over his daughter's poem.

"She's a little girl who does poetry about real things. She doesn't do poetry about cotton candy," Ashante said. "She's a serious little person."

http://www.nypost.com/news/regionalnews/60921.htm

[konpaconvert]

I bet half those kids didn't even understand most of the words in her poen anyway and they are 5-7 years older in age. Wow she's a remarkable young person, i'll support her anyday.

But back to topic, it really isn't surprising to me anymore what going on in the schools and how sensitive parents and school board suck ups are.

This is exactly what these students need a seven year old whos on a level that they either won't get to until they're in college or won't even bother to get.

Ala koze papa!

[LadyKreyol]

Some people still are AFRAID of the truth and afraid of things they simply don't understand.

Truly sad. I just hope this whole saga doesn't scare this prodigy from expressing her ideas and opinions in the future, because that would be a travesty.

Last edited by LadyKreyol on Wed Mar 15, 2006 11:49 am; edited 1 time in total

[Gromosso]

People are just way too sensitive in this country. More power to this little mama.
_________________
Bat Chyen An Tan'n Met Li

[belchokola]

Very insightful younggirl. I salute her courage and wisdom.
_________________
~~Look past outer beauty, and into the mind and soul. That is the mark of true beauty~~

[SIROMYEL]

Depi moun ap pale verite, fo oujwen moun ki gen problem ak sa.

If the poem was talking about how many black men are in jail, selling crack or do ng other negative thi ngs, yo pat'ap gen problem ave'l.

But since it is exposing the sauvagerie of whites and exposing their hero, Christopher Columbus for who he really is, a murderer of millions in the new world, than yo gen gro problem avec sa

les hommes si tellement hypocrites

[PrincessSaSa]

A genius and future leader.
Like some of you have stated, they are just scared of the truth.
I am sure that we will all hear of this young lady in the future again--positively.
_________________
"Life is what you make it."

[Mexkompa Roots]

JA,JA,JA....LOL.....

I like this little girl!

"Yeah white nationalism is what put you in bondage. Pirates and vampires like Columbus, Morgan and Darwin." ... jaja lol..

What? ....did the true hurt a little? Colonialism is one of the biggest evil of human kind.

U pirates, vampires, assasians, killers...scum of earth....

Mexkompa