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

Poem For The Great Dr. Freeman (My ’19 Lemlich Nominee)
Raymond Nat Turner, BAR poet-in-residence
23 Apr 2025
🖨️ Print Article
Dr. Freeman

"We rise by lifting others." 
- Robert Ingersoll 

Stormy Civil Rights years … Granddaughter of enslaved African …
Setting out to study medicine. Setting out to practice healing. Her
Four H’s would be: Hunter, Howard, Harlem—and Healthcare For
All …

Launching private practice—Reagan years—when ketchup
And relish were vegetables … And crack cocaine was pale
White hurricane unleashed on Black communities. ‘Cause
Contras and handlers couldn’t, “Just say, NO!” to profits!

Used to love running up behind her—
147th Street train station stairs—and
Grabbing her bags. Stealing precious seconds of
Her time— walking and talking her to her office …

Used to love living next to someone whose
Work made time elastic. 60 year career—and
Some office hours of dispensing The People
Boxcars of care and kindness ’til Round Midnight

Used to love this opioid arch enemy; diabetes-
Hypertension hater—disguised in
Elegant gold earrings; close cropped ‘fro; cobalt
Blue scarf, ever-ready stethoscope/ruby red tubing

Used to love Black magic medical bag. Ju-Ju warm
Smile. Healing power, peering into brown eyes—
Seeing skilled hands, color of mine. And I could trust
Body and soul to her timbre; her tone; And her tenor

Used to love knowing that her ‘old school’ practice
Would be there to care for Everyday People like me.
Pre-examination, she peppered me with questions—
‘Bout Mom’s medical school/hospital founder legacy

Used to love sneaking Sherlock glances— Searching
For circumstantial evidence of halo … Of wings—of
Celestial dust on a devoted Dr. who, like everyday me,
Traveled by train …

© 2025. Raymond Nat Turner, The Town Crier. All Rights Reserved.

Raymond Nat Turner is a NYC poet; BAR's Poet-in-Residence; and founder/co-leader of the jazz-poetry ensemble UpSurge!NYC. You can Vote for his work at GoFundMe and PayPal.

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


More Stories


  • Free Ruchell “Cinque” Magee!
    Kameron Hurt
    Free Ruchell “Cinque” Magee!
    28 Oct 2020
    Ruchell Magee is the longest-held political prisoner in the United States and the world.
  • Paulo Freire’s Pedagogy of the Oppressed at Fifty
    Liza Featherstone 
    Paulo Freire’s Pedagogy of the Oppressed at Fifty
    28 Oct 2020
    Even as many more people around the world have access to education, schooling everywhere remains intertwined with systems of oppression, including racism and capitalism.
  • Haiti and a Long History of Assault
    Lautaro Rivara
    Haiti and a Long History of Assault
    28 Oct 2020
    For fifteen years Latin American nations collaborated in the military occupation of Haiti, but have yet to apologize for their crimes.
  • Twitter Surveillance Startup Targets Communities of Color for Cops
    Sam Biddle
    Twitter Surveillance Startup Targets Communities of Color for Cops
    28 Oct 2020
    Insiders say Dataminr’s “algorithmic” Twitter search involves human staffers perpetuating confirmation biases, searching specific neighborhoods, streets, and even housing complexes for crime.
  • Capitalism Made Women Of Color More Vulnerable To The COVID Recession
    Tithi Bhattachary
    Capitalism Made Women Of Color More Vulnerable To The COVID Recession
    28 Oct 2020
    Black women and Latinas have performed the bulk of the essential work during lockdown and borne the brunt of the recession.
  • Load More
Subscribe
connect with us
about us
contact us