“Racism, Though, Would Not Go”

Racism, Though, Would Not Go ___

by David Albert Farmer

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(c) 2026 David Albert Farmer

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Juneteenth. Emancipation!

Jubilee!! Liberation!!!

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Slavery sent on its way.

Human property passe’.

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Racism, though, would not go.

A few staved off its deathblow.

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Tucked inside the klansman’s hood

Carved into a pulpit’s wood

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Kept alive by soulless fools

Thrilled to be demonic tools.

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Threatened by equality

Love for all—so much debris.

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Rather than taking delight

In setting the scourge aright.

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Slave owners swore to avenge

Change guaranteed to impinge

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The law they might have to keep.

Their loathing would never sleep.

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They’ve kept their blood-curdling vow!

To bigotry they kowtow.

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Glorifying prejudice

Holding others down, their bliss.

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White supremacy ingrained

Black equality disdained.

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On Juneteenth slaves were set free.

Racism never can be.

—David Albert Farmer

with gratitude to my African American grad students who graciously taught me what books could not

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