In Joseph’s Shadow: Part Three


“I honestly don’t know why you’re so upset.” Michael was starting up again over his sister’s latest rant. “What? You thought a Black man being President was gonna stop racism?”

“You so fuc..”

“Language!” Fae yelled from the front of the car.

“Sorry, Mama,” murmured Tanya before turning her attention back to her brother sitting next to her in the backseat. “You are so freaking ignorant.”

“You know, your dad and I would like to ride in peace if you two don’t mind.”

“No, mama, because he always got something stupid to say.”

“So, because I don’t agree with your politics, I’m stupid?”

Tanya sighed. She would usually laugh Michael’s foolishness off, but this was no laughing matter. How did they live in a world where white people could make drunken negro head cookies and get away with it? How was the store still open?

“What we need to do is protest at the coffee shop. They shouldn’t be allowed to stay open.”

“Here we fucking go.”

“Mike!” Fae reached behind her and hit what part of his leg she could reach. Why their children were so obsessed with using the F bomb, she didn’t know. She and Jo rarely used profanity. “Watch your mouth.”

“Sorry, mama.”

Tanya cut her brother a look. “Idiot,” she whispered.

“What exactly are you upset about?”

Joseph had not spoken since the drive, and Tanya knew that meant he was listening. He was good at that, but this both admired and annoyed her. If he were on her side, he would say something deep and profound, but if he disagreed with her, he would get on his soapbox.

“Dad, I told you. The lady said they make cookies that look like drunken negro heads, and they looked like you!”

Lafayette French Pastry was under controversy and backlash for selling cookies they called “Drunken Negro Heads,” which happened to look like the community’s beloved Joseph McNair. The owner, however, described his actions as a tribute to the new President, which made things much worse. Joseph might be a Civil Rights hero, but Barack Obama was the first African American President of the United States. This caused widespread outrage in the city, and Tanya wanted to be a part of that protest.

Joseph chuckled, “I doubt they made the cookies look like me, sweetheart. Besides, it’s their store. They can do what they want.”

“What? Dad. Drunken negro heads?!”

Michael burst into laughter, and Tanya elbowed him in the ribs.

“Ma, tell her to stop hitting me.”

“Imma hit you both in a minute.”


Joseph turned onto Cynthia’s Street and slowed to a stop in front of her house. He was so proud of his niece. She had been through so much and still came out on top. Tanya, on the other hand, looked at the house with disdain.

Aunt Cynthia was cool except she tried too hard to be Black. At least that’s how Tanya saw it. As the story goes, Cynthia used to be racist or something until she found out Mama Sidney was half-Black. Then, she had to go and get herself a Black husband and started hosting all these random ass get-togethers to talk about shit that could have been said over the phone.

Tanya wasn’t buying it. She shrugged off the thoughts as her father continued talking.

“Look sweepea. If you wanna protest, then protest. No one here is stopping you. Not as much as we marched back in the day, didn’t we, babe?”

Fae smiled and waved her hand, “I’m not in this.”

Joseph chuckled at his wife and returned to his lecture. “Look, do what you gotta do, but take emotion out of it. That’s one of the first things our people learned during our nonviolent protest: how not to be overly emotional.”

“Man, can I get out?”

Michael was already annoyed by the conversation. Wasn’t nobody tryna hear ’bout no nonviolent protest. For nonviolence to work, your opponent must have a conscience, and the United States had none. That’s what Kwame Ture said anyway. Why couldn’t they talk about him? Or brother Malcolm?

Besides, he was anxious to talk to Ebony, the fine chocolate girl who liked him. It was a welcome distraction from thoughts of his real crush. At least with Ebony, no one would question her race. Michael didn’t mind the detour. He had no problem in the dating department. His jet-black curls and hazel eyes drove the girls crazy.

These thoughts were stirring up an urge to drink, and he knew his cousin Noah would hook him up without all the extra talk about him not being of age.

“Yeah, you can go,” said Fae, “Tell your cousin we’ll be in shortly.”

As Michael exited the car, Joseph was still reminiscing. If there was one thing he loved to do, it was tell stories of the old days. “Yeah, we protested alright. Got good and beat up too!”

Tanya folded her arms. “I’m glad you think this is funny,” she sighed as her parents fell into a completely different conversation about spices they couldn’t forget were in the trunk. Aunt Cynthia couldn’t cook either.

Tanya spilled out of the car before she suffocated on her father’s sudden amnesia to the struggle.


Part 1

Part 2


Brown Sugar

When I think about poetry, there is one movie that comes to mind. It is my favorite rom-com of all time.

Wait. The Best Man is my other all-time favorite.

And The Wood.

Okay, so I have a lot of favorites, but this one is specific to poetry.

Let’s stay focused.

Released in 2002 and directed by Rick Famuyiwa (who also directed The Wood), everything about Brown Sugar is poetic to me. From the title to the opening credits, I was hooked. Still am.

Sidney and Dre are childhood best friends. Sid is an editor for XXL, a hip-hop magazine, and Dre is a producer at a record company he hates. And from the beginning, it’s all poetry.

It starts at the very beginning with that dope, nostalgic opening featuring artists like Common, Kool G Rap, Pete Rock, Talib Kweli, Big Daddy Kane, Questlove, Black Thought, Method Man, and Russell Simmons — describing how they “fell in love with hip-hop.”

My new favorite question when interviewing poets is to ask them, “When did you first fall in love with poetry?” And, to be clear: I am not asking when you first started writing it or when you were introduced to it. I am asking, when did you know you loved it? So anywho, the question comes from this movie.

Then it goes a step further, paralleling Sidney and Dre’s deep, evolving relationship with hip-hop’s growth from street culture to mainstream art.

We see this couple grow from childhood friends to lovers using hip-hop’s language and history as a central metaphor to express their unspoken feelings for one another.

On top of this, Sidney is a writer penning her first book, a love letter to hip hop.

As the movie progresses, we see that this letter serves not just as a confession of Sid’s love for the music, but also her love for Dre. Sidney’s narration is the poetry, and the poetry is hip-hop and everything in between, acting as both the main and supporting character.

Rather than presenting poetry as a fading art, movies like Love Jones and Brown Sugar show it as something embedded in how we love, speak, and make sense of the world, like an instinct woven into how we feel, remember, and connect.

So…

I am nudging an old tape recorder over to you. The reels inside give a faint rattle before my finger hovers over the record button

When did you first fall in love with poetry?


Yecheilyah’s 8th Annual

Poetry Contest 2026

This year’s poetry contest is in full swing! Entries are being accepted as we speak.

As we are already halfway through April, and ya’ll know May is gonna fly by too, here are some reminders before June sneaks up on us:

  • When submitting your poem, please do not forget to add your name to the document! I know it sounds like common sense, but you have no idea how many times we have to send pieces back that don’t include a name.
  • Also, for this contest, your piece should be sent as a PDF or Word document.
  • By entering this contest, you retain full ownership of your work. Submission to the contest does not transfer any rights, and your poem will not be reproduced, published, or used beyond contest purposes without your explicit permission.
  • Don’t forget that your poem must touch on our theme in some way. For the full list of rules and guidelines, please click here.
  • Also, cash prizes are only the beginning! We are also doing interviews and social media promo! This is not the year to miss.

What We’re Carrying Now

This year’s theme is “What We’re Carrying Now: We are seeking poems that center on personal loss, collective memory, survival, endurance, or the emotional weight of living in today’s social and political climate.

We are looking for writing that lingers and reminds us why poetry still matters. How have you been processing this moment in history? Bring us the weight you’ve been holding. Bring us the language that knows how to hold it.

This can look like a protest or a prayer, a memory or a breaking point, a quiet confession or a bold declaration.

Examples:

  • Social/Political Climate (e.g., living through turbulent times)
  • Identity & Selfhood (e.g., what it means to carry your identity, race, gender, culture, faith, in today’s world)
  • Ancestry, Memory, Legacy (e.g., carrying the legacy of those who came before you, generational trauma/healing/strength)
  • Survival & Resilience (e.g., small acts of survival, joy, rest, boundaries)
  • Spiritual/Philosophical (e.g., Faith, purpose, or direction in uncertain times)

…and so on.

We did not always have a website for the contest, but now we do! Be sure you are bookmarking it to stay updated on all things contest-related.

Deadline to enter: June 1, 2026.

https://www.yecheilyahsannualpoetrycontest.org/

Yecheilyah’s 8th Annual Poetry Contest Judges: Estefania Lugo


Greetings, Esteemed Poets!

This week, we’ve been rolling out some of the amazing poets who are helping with this year’s contest. Up next is Estefania Lugo.

Estefanía Lugo is a brilliant bilingual creative strategist with a sharp eye for the written word.

She delights in exploring authors’ imaginations and celebrating the richness of their voices.

This contest is not just national but international, and we are honored to have  Estefanía as part of the team!

🫰🏾

If you are on Instagram, please head over to my page here and show her some love!

Reminder: This year’s poetry contest is accepting submissions from now to June 1st!

Theme: “What We’re Carrying Now.”

This theme explores personal loss, collective memory, survival, and the emotional weight of living in today’s world. Through this contest, we are not only uplifting poets, but we are also creating space for community storytelling, reflection, and connection through the arts.

Prizes:

  • 1st Place: $150 Cash Prize
  • Live Instagram Interview with Yecheilyah
  • Winning poem published on The PBS Blog at thepbsblog.com 
  • Social media promotion across all platforms
  • Unlimited bragging rights 😉

For a full list of prizes, including 2nd and 3rd place, please visit the website here.


How to Enter

  • Subscribe to the list here.
  • Read the rules and guidelines on the site.
  • Submit your poem on or before 6/1/26.

Don’t forget to visit and bookmark the website here.

Be sure you are:


Yecheilyah’s 8th Annual Poetry Contest Judges: BrinwiththePen


Greetings, Esteemed Poets!

This week, we are rolling out some of the amazing poets who are helping with this year’s contest. Up next is BrinwiththePen.

Love-centered poet Brinwiththepen inspires safety and inclusion through her poetry and the workshops she facilitates.

Brin joined Atlanta’s poetry community in 2021 and pours into the intentional time and space of writing with The Ink Refill, a monthly poetry writing workshop.

I met her in 2024 when we were both poetry features at the same event. I also got to witness her brilliance at one of her workshops.

We are honored to have Brinwiththepen and her company as part of our judges’ panel for this year’s poetry contest!

🫰🏾

Please help us welcome The Ink Refill to the team!

If you are on Instagram, please head over to @theinkrefill and show her some love!

We have more shout-outs to give. Stay glued.

Reminder: This year’s poetry contest is accepting submissions from now to June 1st!

Theme: “What We’re Carrying Now.”

This theme explores personal loss, collective memory, survival, and the emotional weight of living in today’s world. Through this contest, we are not only uplifting poets, but we are also creating space for community storytelling, reflection, and connection through the arts.

Prizes:

  • 1st Place: $150 Cash Prize
  • Live Instagram Interview with Yecheilyah
  • Winning poem published on The PBS Blog at thepbsblog.com 
  • Social media promotion across all platforms
  • Unlimited bragging rights 😉

For a full list of prizes, including 2nd and 3rd place, please visit the website here.


How to Enter

  • Subscribe to the list here.
  • Read the rules and guidelines on the site.
  • Submit your poem on or before 6/1/26.

Don’t forget to visit and bookmark the website here.

Be sure you are:


Yecheilyah’s 8th Annual Poetry Contest Judges: Joshua “Roses” Clark


Greetings, Esteemed Poets!

Today, we are rolling out some of the amazing poets who are helping with this year’s contest. Up first is Joshua Clark.

Joshua Clark, who goes by Roses, is a Dallas-based spoken word poet, creative specialist, and Texas Chapter Leader of the Poetry Business Network.

He is the CEO of Sculpted Roses Company (@sculptedrosescompany), where his team offers mental health and creative writing workshops, poetry sessions, and public speaking engagements.

We are proud to have Roses and his company as part of our judging panel for this year’s poetry contest!

🫰🏾

Please help us welcome Sculpted Roses Company to the team!

If you are on Instagram, please head over to @sculptedrosescompany and show this brother some love!

We have more shout-outs to give. Stay glued.

Reminder: This year’s poetry contest is accepting submissions from now to June 1st!

Theme: “What We’re Carrying Now.”

This theme explores personal loss, collective memory, survival, and the emotional weight of living in today’s world. Through this contest, we are not only uplifting poets, but we are also creating space for community storytelling, reflection, and connection through the arts.

Prizes:

  • 1st Place: $150 Cash Prize
  • Live Instagram Interview with Yecheilyah
  • Winning poem published on The PBS Blog at thepbsblog.com 
  • Social media promotion across all platforms
  • Unlimited bragging rights 😉

For a full list of prizes, including 2nd and 3rd place, please visit the website here.


How to Enter

  • Subscribe to the list here.
  • Read the rules and guidelines on the site.
  • Submit your poem on or before 6/1/26.

Don’t forget to visit and bookmark the website here.

Be sure you are:


Call for Submissions: Yecheilyah’s 8th Annual Poetry Contest 2026


Greetings, Esteemed Poets!

Happy Poetry Month!!

We are pleased to announce that this year’s poetry contest is now open! Submissions will remain open until June 1, 2026.

Entry: Email Subscription (Free)*

*If you are already subscribed, you can skip this step.

Theme: “What We’re Carrying Now.”

This year’s theme centers on personal loss, collective memory, survival, endurance, and/or the emotional weight of living in today’s social and political climate.

This year, we are asking poets to create a living archive of how they are processing, surviving, and making meaning in this moment in history.

What are you carrying this season? What are we carrying now?

Prizes:

  • 1st Place: $150 Cash Prize
  • Live Instagram Interview with Yecheilyah
  • Winning poem published on The PBS Blog at thepbsblog.com 
  • Social media promotion across all platforms
  • Unlimited bragging rights 😉

For a full list of prizes, including 2nd and 3rd place, please visit the website here.


How to Enter

  • Subscribe to the list here.
  • Submit your poem before 6/1/26.
  • Read the rules and guidelines on the site.

Don’t forget to visit and bookmark the website here.

Be sure you are:


Why Many Black History Accounts on Social Media Are Wrong

We are living in an era where Black history is being erased every day, so I understand the excitement over discovering all the amazing things our people have done.

However, while I love me a good fun fact, I cannot help but notice that many of the Black history memes floating around social media are often grossly inaccurate or lacking context.

And some are flat-out wrong altogether.

And I am not talking about small pages either. Many of your favorite Black history accounts with millions of followers put out false information every day in the name of Black history.

Yes, this includes those on Substack… not really sure why ya’ll think this isn’t also a social media platform.

With a culture so rich and expansive as ours, we really do not need to embellish what we’ve done. The work is already powerful on its own.

Here are just a few things I wish we would explain more deeply. I am starting with this one because someone told me to “Shut up” on Instagram for pointing it out.

Mary Beatrice Kenner invented the maxi pad.

Context:

What Kenner invented was called the sanitary belt and moisture-resistant pocket, which is not exactly the same as our modern disposable menstrual pad.

Kenner’s patent eventually expired, leading people to take credit for her invention. A company also expressed interest but pulled back after learning she was Black.1

If Kenner had not been rejected, it is highly likely that she would have also invented the disposable pad, likely based on her original idea. However, what she invented was not the same as today’s adhesive pad, as many of these posts insinuate without proper context.

Here is a timeline from a website on A short history of modern menstrual products:

  • 1880s–1890s: Early disposable pads were made of cotton and gauze, often marketed to women traveling by land or sea.
  • 1896: Johnson & Johnson marketed “Lister’s Towels: Sanitary Towels for Ladies,” which were a notable early commercial attempt but failed due to social stigma.
  • 1918–1921: Nurses in WWI used high-absorbency wood-pulp bandages, leading to the creation of Kotex, the first successfully marketed disposable pad.
  • 1926: Johnson & Johnson introduced Modess Sanitary Napkins.
  • 1956/1957: Mary Kenner patented an improved adjustable sanitary belt with a moisture-resistant pocket.

What I would change on this timeline, though, is that Kenner’s invention was in the 1920s, but because of racism, the sanitary belt did not come out until the late 1950s.

This is what I mean by adding context or looking deeper into what we read.

Let’s look at another one.

Claudette Colvin was the first to give up her seat before Rosa Parks.

Context:

She was not the first, but one of many. Irene Morgan did it in 19442, and Ida B. Wells did it in 1884.3

There was also Aurelia S. Browder, who did it in April 1955, almost eight months before Rosa Parks’s arrest and a month after Claudette Colvin’s.

History is not the linear event we think it is. There is so much that happened, and so many people it happened to, we might never know about.

What Claudette Colvin and Rosa Parks represent is the culmination of many years of work and sacrifice by many different Black women.

And one more.

Lewis Howard Latimer invented the light bulb.

Context:

What Lewis Howard Latimer invented was an improved process for manufacturing carbon filaments for electric light bulbs.

In simpler terms, his invention made using light bulbs in homes and businesses more practical. His filaments could be heated to high temperatures without breaking, resulting in longer-lasting, more efficient, and affordable light bulbs.


These are a few easy ones I thought of because I see them a lot, but there are many more.

Before you sit in the Amen corner of anybody’s Black history post (including mine), make sure the information they are sharing is correct. Google (and Google Scholar) is right there.


  1. Sluby, Patricia C. “BLACK WOMEN AND INVENTIONS.” Women’s History Network News, no. 37, 1993, pp. 4.. ↩︎
  2. Lang, Martin. “Irene Morgan and her Impact on Freedom Riders.” ↩︎
  3. Orr, Nicole. Famous Women in History: Ida B. Wells: Crusader for Justice. Curious Fox Books, 2025. ↩︎