Title: 10 Poems about Racism and Discrimination | Human Rights Careers
Headings: 10 Poems about Racism and Discrimination
10 Poems about Racism and Discrimination
“Caged Bird” by Maya Angelou
“Rosa” by Rita Dove
“Tradition” by Jericho Brown
“White Privilege” by Gabriel Rameriz
“I Am Not The Indian You Had In Mind” by Thomas King
“Immigrant Blues” by Li-Young Lee
“Riot” by Gwendolyn Brooks
“Ballad of Birmingham” by Dudley Randall
“Afterimages” by Audre Lorde
“I, Too” by Langston Hughes

Content: In this heartbreaking poem, Randall presents a conversation between a mother and daughter. The girl wants to join the Freedom March but is told she can’t because it’s too dangerous. Instead, she goes to church and her mother is confident in her child’s safety. In the last two lines, the poem reveals the horrible truth. “Afterimages” by Audre Lorde
A graphic and emotionally-challenging poem, “Afterimages” describes the effect that Emmet Till’s death had on Lorde. She describes it as “the afterimage of my 21st year.” Till haunts her dreams. Nightmares, rape, and violence saturate the poem. With unforgiving power, this piece demonstrates how traumatizing racism is. “I, Too” by Langston Hughes
Langston Hughes is one of America’s most famous poets.