# Know any good poems that deal with racial prejudice? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 19, 2013, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/know-any-good-poems-that-deal-with-racial-prejudice/647684 "2013-01-19T03:16:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2013, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/know-any-good-poems-that-deal-with-racial-prejudice/647684/1 "2013-01-19T03:16:39Z")
My daughter (15) is looking for a poem that she can discuss, that deals with racial prejudice. Yes, this is help with homework, but not mine, and she is only looking for a starting point; the rest of the homework will be hers. Any suggestions? Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2013, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/know-any-good-poems-that-deal-with-racial-prejudice/647684/2 "2013-01-19T04:49:44Z")
I’d say the song “You’ve Got To Be Carefully Taught” , from the musical _South Pacific_ would be one of the best. You don’t have to sing it, you can just read the words. > **[Youve Got To Be Carefully Taught lyrics by from South Pacific soundtrack.](https://www.stlyrics.com/lyrics/southpacific/youvegottobecarefullytaught.htm)** > > Youve Got To Be Carefully Taught lyrics: Cable: You've got to be taught To hate and fear, You've got to be taught From year to year, It's got to be drummed In your dear little ear You've got to be carefully taught. You' ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2013, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/know-any-good-poems-that-deal-with-racial-prejudice/647684/3 "2013-01-19T04:57:58Z")
> [@](#): > > Now, the Star-Bell Sneetches had bellies with stars. > The Plain-Belly Sneetches had none upon thars. > Those stars weren’t so big. They were really so small. > You might think such a thing wouldn’t matter at all. [Does metaphorical work?](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sneetches_and_Other_Stories#.22The_Sneetches.22) :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2013, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/know-any-good-poems-that-deal-with-racial-prejudice/647684/4 "2013-01-19T05:26:07Z")
> [@Baker](#): > > I’d say the song “You’ve Got To Be Carefully Taught” , from the musical _South Pacific_ would be one of the best. You don’t have to sing it, you can just read the words. > > [Youve Got To Be Carefully Taught Lyrics 🎬 South Pacific](http://www.stlyrics.com/lyrics/southpacific/youvegottobecarefullytaught.htm) Ain’t it the truth. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2013, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/know-any-good-poems-that-deal-with-racial-prejudice/647684/5 "2013-01-19T05:27:36Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > [Does metaphorical work?](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Sneetches_and_Other_Stories#.22The_Sneetches.22) :dubious: Thanks. I’ll see what she thinks. I don’t know if 15 year olds are good with metaphors. Mine might surprise me though. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2013, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/know-any-good-poems-that-deal-with-racial-prejudice/647684/6 "2013-01-19T06:17:35Z")
“Gunga Din”? ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2013, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/know-any-good-poems-that-deal-with-racial-prejudice/647684/7 "2013-01-19T06:26:05Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > “Gunga Din”? Yeah, a bit much for a 15 year old I think, at least my 15 year old. Thanks though. Keep 'em coming. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2013, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/know-any-good-poems-that-deal-with-racial-prejudice/647684/8 "2013-01-19T07:11:23Z")
Not poems, but songs: Janis Ian, “Society’s Child” [Janis Ian - Society's Child - YouTube](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yW_rYLoIR08) Chad Mitchell Trio, “Which Hat Shall I Wear” (lyrics only) [http://lyrics.wikia.com/Chad\_Mitchell\_Trio:Which\_Hat\_Shall\_I\_Wear](http://lyrics.wikia.com/Chad_Mitchell_Trio:Which_Hat_Shall_I_Wear) ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2013, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/know-any-good-poems-that-deal-with-racial-prejudice/647684/9 "2013-01-19T07:34:06Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Yeah, a bit much for a 15 year old I think, at least my 15 year old. Thanks though. > > Keep 'em coming. So I guess “The White Man’s Burden” is out of the question. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2013, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/know-any-good-poems-that-deal-with-racial-prejudice/647684/10 "2013-01-19T07:38:38Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > So I guess “The White Man’s Burden” is out of the question. Yeah. Too much for a 15 year old methinks. ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2013, 7:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/know-any-good-poems-that-deal-with-racial-prejudice/647684/11 "2013-01-19T07:39:17Z")
[Tim Minchin: Prejudice.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KVN_0qvuhhw) ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2013, 7:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/know-any-good-poems-that-deal-with-racial-prejudice/647684/12 "2013-01-19T07:39:55Z")
How about “I, Too, Sing America” by Langston Hughes. \*I, too, sing America. I am the darker brother. They send me to eat in the kitchen When company comes, But I laugh, And eat well, And grow strong. Tomorrow, I’ll be at the table When company comes. Nobody’ll dare Say to me, “Eat in the kitchen,” Then. Besides, They’ll see how beautiful I am And be ashamed - I, too, am America.\* ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2013, 8:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/know-any-good-poems-that-deal-with-racial-prejudice/647684/13 "2013-01-19T08:29:32Z")
Kipling’s too hard for a fifteen year old? Really? _Kipling_? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Q](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/898d66/32.png) [@Johnny\_Q](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Q)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2013, 8:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/know-any-good-poems-that-deal-with-racial-prejudice/647684/14 "2013-01-19T08:53:35Z")
I guess [this one](http://staff.gps.edu/mines/Age%20of%20Nationalism%20-%20Brown%20Man%27s%20Burden.htm) is right out. Although why a high schooler would have trouble with it escapes me(unless the “trouble” comes from those in authority, of course) ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2013, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/know-any-good-poems-that-deal-with-racial-prejudice/647684/15 "2013-01-19T12:44:45Z")
Langston Hughes’ [A Dream Deferred](http://www.cswnet.com/~menamc/langston.htm). ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2013, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/know-any-good-poems-that-deal-with-racial-prejudice/647684/16 "2013-01-19T12:53:24Z")
Countee Cullen’s [“Incident”](http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/incident/) is direct enough. ---
**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2013, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/know-any-good-poems-that-deal-with-racial-prejudice/647684/17 "2013-01-19T14:36:28Z")
[Theme For English B](http://www.eecs.harvard.edu/~keith/poems/English_B.html) by Langston Hughes. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2013, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/know-any-good-poems-that-deal-with-racial-prejudice/647684/18 "2013-01-19T15:38:01Z")
[What Did I Do To Be So Black and Blue](http://www.perfessorbill.com/lyrics/lyblckbl.htm) [Strange Fruit](http://www.lyricsfreak.com/b/billie+holiday/strange+fruit_20017859.html) ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2013, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/know-any-good-poems-that-deal-with-racial-prejudice/647684/19 "2013-01-19T16:41:59Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > Kipling’s too hard for a fifteen year old? Really? _Kipling_? Possibly she’s never kippled before. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2013, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/know-any-good-poems-that-deal-with-racial-prejudice/647684/20 "2013-01-19T18:39:34Z")
Heck, pretty much _anything_ by Langston Hughes would fit the bill. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/know-any-good-poems-that-deal-with-racial-prejudice/647684.md?page=2)