“We are a tale of two Americas, searching for humanity to implore unity.”
Laurin Rinder_AdobeStock
BLACK HISTORY MONTH
In honor of Black History Month, we asked clinicians to share their thoughts on Black history and the contributions of Black Americans to the psychiatric field and beyond. Here’s how they answered.
We are a tale of two Americas
One seen as pure as ivory
And the other dark as soot
Chronic neglect of the latter
A recurring theme in
Our two-faced nation
I join the choir of brother Langston
I, too, sing America
We are a tale of two Americas
One suppresses
And the other oppresses
Avoidance of hardened truths
A recurring vision for
Our colorblind country
I join the choir of brother Langston
I, too, sing America
We are a tale of two Americas
One breathes freely
And the other pants with fear
The difference between life and death
A recurring nightmare for
Our red, white, and blue asphalt
I join the choir of brother Langston
I, too, sing America
We are a tale of two Americas
One wants to efface parts of history
And the other wants to preserve it
Selection bias on display
A recurring truth for
Our racial caste system
I join the choir of brother Langston
I, too, sing America
We are a tale of two Americas
One who honors Black history with their lips
And the other who honors it with their actions
Hypocrisy stands the test of time
A recurring trauma for
Our land of liberty
I join the choir of brother Langston
I, too, sing America
We are a tale of two Americas
One oppresses
And the other suppresses
Avoidance of hardened truths
A recurring vision for
Our colorblind country
I join the choir of brother Langston
I, too, sing America
We are a tale of two Americas
Searching for humanity to implore
Unity
Dr Clark is an outpatient psychiatrist at Prisma Health-Upstate and clinical associate professor at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Greenville. He served on the American Psychiatric Association’s Task Force to Address Structural Racism Throughout Psychiatry, and he currently serves as the Diversity and Inclusion section editor and advisory board member for Psychiatric TimesTM.
What does Black History Month mean to you? If you would like to share your thoughts, write to us at PTEditor@MMHGroup.com for a chance to be featured in our Black History Month series.