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

(OSCAR) Old Southern Californian Aryan Racketeers
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
25 Feb 2015
🖨️ Print Article

(OSCAR) Old Southern Californian Aryan Racketeers

by Raymond Nat Turner

Curtain rising, Black images

Fading, lost, stolen, strayed;

‘White’ suspense speeches

Read like corporate talking

Points, red carpet, 30 million

Viewers, Grand Jury True Bills—

Dice loaded, card’s marked,

Diversity smells like charcoal…

Well, “Hooray for Hollywood”

Never meant Black folk no good…

Get over opinions of color-

Blind ‘white’ men with

Bleached white plastic

Smiles, like you got over

Santa Claus, tooth fairies and

Taney’s Dred Scott script—

Oscar Micheaux’s the only

Oscar relevant, ignore pink-

Eyed lobbyists with detached

Retinas, jaundiced scammers

Legally blind, like monkeys on

Capitalist Hill, like sightless

Juries who saw Rodney as King-

Kong, “controlling the situation,”

Mike Brown as “Hulk Hogan

Bulking up, running through shots,”

Eric Garner as an irresponsible

Stuntman, holding his breath

After his scene was a wrap—

Well, “Hooray for Hollywood”

Never meant Black folk no good…

Quit crashing burning house

Parties, wincing at embers, and

Acrid smoke blinding teleprompter

Readers, missing the Hurricane and X

Denzel whipped up, Round Midnight

Dexter Gordon delivered, timelessly,

Soldier Story Adolph Caesar marshaled, masterfully…

…Selma?

Well, “Hooray for Hollywood”

Never meant Black folk no good…

So tap grapevines, pool pennies

Grown at grassroots; hand out

Statuettes resembling Robeson,

Josephine Baker, Ruby Dee and

Ossie Davis—call ‘em ‘Robies,’

‘Paulies,’ ‘Josies,’ ‘Rubies,’

‘Ossies—‘ just do it…

Raymond Nat Turner can be contacted at Raymond (at) upsurgejazz.com
Raymond Nat Turner © 2015 All Rights Reserved

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


More Stories


  • African and Indigenous Peoples: An Alliance for Defense, Survival and Revolution
    Mark P. Fancher
    African and Indigenous Peoples: An Alliance for Defense, Survival and Revolution
    23 Nov 2022
    The day known as Thanksgiving is an opportunity to remember how the settler colonial state began its genocide against both indigenous people and enslaved Africans. 
  • The End of American Thanksgivings: A Cause for Universal Rejoicing
    Glen Ford , BAR executive editor
    The End of American Thanksgivings: A Cause for Universal Rejoicing
    23 Nov 2022
    Glen Ford wrote many powerful essays, but his unflinching analysis of the history of the holiday we call Thanksgiving endures nearly 20 years after he wrote it.
  • “No More American Thanksgivings” and Other Essays Book Review: Glen Ford, 2022, The Black Agenda, OR Books
    Roger D. Harris
    “No More American Thanksgivings” and Other Essays Book Review: Glen Ford, 2022, The Black Agenda, OR Books
    23 Nov 2022
    Glen Ford's posthumously published book, The Black Agenda, is a testament to the enduring power of his work. 
  • Ujima’s Plan to Transcend Neoliberalism in Maryland
    Phillip Clark
    Ujima’s Plan to Transcend Neoliberalism in Maryland
    23 Nov 2022
    The Ujima People's Progress Party is organizing outside of the duopoly in an effort to gain true political representation for Black working people. 
  • Widespread Panic as Anti-Haitian Decree Goes into Effect in Dominican Republic
    Carlos Edill Berríos Polanco
    Widespread Panic as Anti-Haitian Decree Goes into Effect in Dominican Republic
    23 Nov 2022
    In the Dominican Republic, Haitian migrants or any dark-skinned Black person can be arrested, have their belongings seized, and be deported from that country. Anti-Haitian sentiment and legislation…
  • Load More
Subscribe
connect with us
about us
contact us