Black Agenda Report
Black Agenda Report
News, commentary and analysis from the black left.

  • Home
  • Africa
  • African America
  • Education
  • Environment
  • International
  • Media and Culture
  • Political Economy
  • Radio
  • US Politics
  • War and Empire
  • omnibus

chief
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
02 Jan 2019
Watts Rebellion, Los Angeles 1965
Watts Rebellion, Los Angeles 1965

one of those sweltering
summer nights, City of
Angels, run by devils…
Cruising Imperial Highway
heading westbound to the water
when a newsflash interrupted
Atlantic, Stax, Motown blasting

Who was driving? I do not recall.
Anyway, we pulled off the road,
stopped the car. And, in language of
Testi-lying, alighted from the vehicle’s
passenger side making threatening motions—
Happy Dancing, screaming at the top of our
lungs— “…Nigras acting like a barrel of monkeys…”
Chief Parker died.

© 2018. Raymond Nat Turner, The Town Crier. All Rights Reserved.
Our poet in residence Raymond Nat Turner is an acclaimed poet and performing artist. Find much more of his work at http://upsurgejazz.com.

LAPD chief William Parker, 1905-1966

poetry
policing
Los Angeles

Do you need and appreciate Black Agenda Report articles. Please click on the DONATE icon, and help us out, if you can.


Related Stories

Reese Piece…
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
Reese Piece…
15 April 2021
Salute to City of Angels’ son! He wrote, he wrote, he wrote And he wrote… Ramparts, The Progressive, The
First 100 Daze: A ‘new’ dance craze
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
First 100 Daze: A ‘new’ dance craze
27 January 2021
Everybody’s wild ‘bout this ‘new’ dance craze— this lewd, crude dance called “The 1st 100 Daze…”
mashing the state— Kristallnacht-style
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
mashing the state— Kristallnacht-style
20 January 2021
Kristallnacht came casting lead ballots, overthrowing Black elected officials and Massacring those that VOTED for them— 
This is what hypocrisy looks like…
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
This is what hypocrisy looks like…
13 January 2021
“It's like writing history with lightning.“ — Woodrow Wilson on Birth of A Nation
Think…
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
Think…
06 January 2021
Think of peoples having the most tanks, the most drones, the most missiles, bombs, aircraft carriers, 
$election postmortem 
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
$election postmortem 
10 December 2020
It was the Latino Vote… No, it was the Latinix vote! No, it was Black Women! No, it was LGBTQ+ Black Women!
People Power (Or 30 min. men and women every 4 yrs?)
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
People Power (Or 30 min. men and women every 4 yrs?)
02 December 2020
The People earned a dancing in the streets day, horn honking, slogan shouting day—collective sigh/exhale
Endangering species… 
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
Endangering species… 
25 November 2020
Endangering species— First Negroz and wild Karens in power—members of the Strong- arm Williams-Thom-ass Clarence-led
My Wise Country Cousin on  Unca Jim Clyburn an de Sharp Rite Turn
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
My Wise Country Cousin on  Unca Jim Clyburn an de Sharp Rite Turn
11 November 2020
Son, it look lak Unca Jim say, “Las’ time I chek I’se de whip— an’ got no time fo’ young Negroz wit all dey Blak Life lip…”
Bankrolling blu klux klans? 
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
Bankrolling blu klux klans? 
28 October 2020
Rhythms of red, white, blue ‘party’ lights flashing beneath screaming sirens; The rush of warm crimson

More Stories


  • Democrats Exposed By the End of Roe v. Wade
    Margaret Kimberley, BAR Executive Editor and Senior Columnist
    Democrats Exposed By the End of Roe v. Wade
    29 Jun 2022
    The full extent of Democratic Party treachery was exposed when the Roe v. Wade decision was overturned. Only right wing Americans have any expectation of getting what they want from the electoral…
  • SPEECH: Revolution: It’s Not Easy, Quick, or Pretty, Pat Parker, 1980
    Editors, The Black Agenda Review
    SPEECH: Revolution: It’s Not Easy, Quick, or Pretty, Pat Parker, 1980
    29 Jun 2022
    ​​​​​​​A 1980 speech by Black lesbian poet and activist Pat Parker provides a feminist, anti-imperialist blueprint for the present.
  • Ethnic Violence Plagues Ethiopia Near its Mighty New Dam
    Ann Garrison, BAR Contributing Editor
    Ethnic Violence Plagues Ethiopia Near its Mighty New Dam
    29 Jun 2022
    Conflict in Ethiopia continues to claim the lives of many civilians, as recently happened in the Wellega region.
  • Drunken Count Ghouliani/low Barr-Boss Tweet revealing irreparable rot of capitalism…
    Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
    Drunken Count Ghouliani/low Barr-Boss Tweet revealing irreparable rot of capitalism…
    29 Jun 2022
    Drunken Count Ghouliani/low Barr-Boss Tweet revealing irreparable rot of capitalism…
  • BAR Book Forum: Robtel Neajai Pailey’s “Development, (Dual) Citizenship and Its Discontents in Africa”
    Roberto Sirvent, BAR Book Forum Editor
    BAR Book Forum: Robtel Neajai Pailey’s “Development, (Dual) Citizenship and Its Discontents in Africa”
    29 Jun 2022
    This week’s featured author is Robtel Neajai Pailey. Pailey is Assistant Professor in International Social and Public Policy at the London School of Economics and Political Science. Her book is…
  • Load More
Subscribe
connect with us
about us
contact us