Dudley Randall was born in 1914 in Washington, D.C. blessed with parents who focused on education. Mr. Randall received his bachelor's degree, in English at Wayne State University in 1949, and his master's degree, in Library Science, at the University of Michigan in 1951. He began writing poetry at the age of four. A continuation of his writing was successful on African American literary figures. In 1965 he wrote the Ballad of Birmingham a very tragic, and emotional poem.
In the early years of the Negro rebellion, it was common in this geographical area, to find Negroes floating in rivers. The KKK burning crosses, and the FBI's infiltration of groups, as the Black Panthers. Detroit the Poet's hometown had riots that were deadly. The assassination of John F. Kennedy, tragic as it was, is still remembered today, but not those little young people. The Viet NAM war could not cloud the killing of Negro leaders in America.
Pie chart of religions of African Americans
Birmingham & Fazeley Canal near Mill Wharf on Corp...
Abandoned Sears in North Randall, OhioThe killing of Dr. King, and the writing of the poem reflex feelings of great disappointment. Mr. Randall saw the collapse of the stock market as a boy, share croppers who had nothing to share, and schools bombed to limit education of other Negro children.
It was the children of the sixties who grew their hair into Afros. Dress in a style that identified their attitudes as fed up with this society. It was these children whom no longer would agree too colored and white bathrooms, or eat standing up in the back doors of restaurants. In the poem Booker T. and W.E.B. the writer says "for what can property avail if dignity and justice fail. Mr. Randall writes "If the white man took the name Negro and you took the name Caucasian, he'd still kick your ass, as long as you let...