Louisiana State University - Gumbo Yearbook (Baton Rouge, LA)

Page 13 text:

Something happened in Baton Rouge the white people said. But things were changing race relations were improving. Something happened inside of me while things were changing from one day to the next changing one disappointment to the next changing the meager thread of hope that u must hang by changing in every Black face i see changes one extra line of despair that wasn ' t their yesterday changing we never talk about it cause we found that talk only gets u one extra slap in the mouth who wants to be slapped? changing momma i ' m going to the white school now u said if i finish CHANGES but momma, Anthony, he got 2 de grees but he haf to be a coner philosopher cause the government can ' t find no file cabinet to put his hard earned de r - : - Daddy when I finished last year i looked for ma rainbow but they told me i had to be specialized Don ' t u like mopping? they said but I got a college DE gree How about the phone Co. U tried them? So i came back for another do gree then i can help Anthony out. U think a M. A. will make a difference? no man, i ' m jes here cause nobody else wants me food stamps don ' t go with a college de gree I don ' t think u can have welfare either. maybe Anthony should get a 3rd do gree at least we could talk about his intelligence such efforts Angela was working on her 3rd one. Changes chanted the white people CHANGES Changes changes changes all in ma ear changes Something happened in Baton Rouge the other day it reflected all the changes the white people chanted about B.R.=N.Y.=any other place in Babalon. changes. feb 8, 1972 b. malaika favorite