I'm More Than Black Poem by Odell Staggers

I'm more than black-
Dark skin,
Light skin,
Broad shoulders,
Big bottom,
Big hips,
Big lips,
just a tip,
of who I am.
I'm more than black.

I am a real person,
I laugh,
I cry,
I hurt,
I bleed,
I'm a real person,
with character,
hopes and dreams.
What do you see
when you see me?
I'm more than black.

We went from being landowners
and kings and queens
to slavery,
and then
3/5 of a person for taxation,
to Jim Crow and segregation
to Civil Rights,
to now fighting against institutional injustices and discriminatory policies, and blatant racism,
l'm more than black.

I just want to live free and be treated as a human being,
I'm more than black.

Please don't judge me by my race or a standard
that is impossible to uphold,
for ignorance is bliss and racismis a cancer
that destroys the soul.

I am more than a black face.
What do you see
when you see me?
I'ma human being
and a member
of the human race.