Telling Our Blues With Black American Poetry

Black folks come from a long line of storytellers, and each generation has sought out the stories that shine the light on where we came from and who we really are. Storytelling is our way of saying "I am here, and my story matters". We've learned the importance of sharing our voices and our experiences no matter if they be good or bad. Some of our deepest emotions and memories lay in between the spaces of the pages that we write on. Through the African Diaspora we have learned how to record our history by telling the stories that needed to be told by our Ancestors. Storytelling is how families were able to stay connected and it has reminded us of our roots. However, Black stories are often seasoned with pain, grit, relationship issues and personal battles that we sometime call the Blues. If you listen close to our stories, you just might hear the spirit of "Fannie Lou Hamer" and "Ida B. Wells" speaking.