BY: Vincent L. Hall
The deaths of citizens and innocent immigrants perpetrated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement have had a chilling effect on this nation. As I listened to Bruce Springsteen’s new ballad, “Streets of Metropolis,” I found myself surveying my Black history archives.
Or at least I used to call them my Black history archives. Let me explain.
Take, for instance, the local “Black History” story of Allen Brooks. He was accused of assaulting a young White woman in 1910. Before “justice could be served,” he was dragged by a rope from the Old Red Courthouse, through the streets of Downtown Dallas, to meet his death. He lost his life at the hands of approximately 4000 angry Whites.
My former Skyline High classmate and the celebrated late director of Remembering Black Dallas, George Keaton, was a genius. Once, while retelling the story of Allen Brooks, he surmised that the notion that it was Black History was preposterous. Suppose any group of 400 people did something to one person; that’s their history. The story of Allen Brooks is White History.
Black history is the medical mastery of Dr. Charles Drew and Daniel Hale Williams. The strength and sojourn of Madame C.J. Walker and Ida B. Wells are prime subjects and the epitome of notable Black History.
But slavery and Jim Crow and slave catchers and even this latest fiasco called ICE are American history. My beliefs coincide with George’s in that history shouldn’t be named for the victim. They call it the “Epstein files” because of what he did to his victims. (We ain’t forgot you little Donnie!)
Anyway, you get the point, so back to Gil Scott!
The alliance of the hippocampus, cerebellum, and the basal ganglia, responsible for my memory function, evoked the name, likeness, lyrics, and prophecy of Gil Scott Heron.
Heron’s 1974 hit, ‘Winter in America,’ was like Springsteen’s, a protest song, but it was Richard Nixon rather than Donald Trump. Both have mastered the percussive beats of tyranny and fascism. George W. Bush’s version of “Shock and Awe” ruined Iran. But President Bush would never have banged those drums in America.
Even though it was 50 years ago, Gil Scott recognized the threat that has now become our reality. Listen to another swath.
And now it’s winter, it’s winter in America. And all of the healers have been killed or betrayed. But the people know, the people know. It’s winter, Lord knows, it’s winter in America. And ain’t nobody fighting. ‘Cause nobody knows what to save, save your soul from winter in America.”
Whether Springsteen or Heron inspires you doesn’t matter, as long as you realize that it’s winter in these yet-to-be United States. The deaths of three citizens in Minneapolis have put this nation on ICE. Literally and figuratively.
Can you imagine the angst that drove 70,000 people, roughly 20% of the population of Minneapolis, to protest in 15-degree weather?
I know you came here to get some Black history, but these days it’s all about White history. White history appears to be in the cold stages of another civil war, and we are caught in the crossfire. It’s winter in America.
A long-time Texas Metro News columnist, Dallas native Vincent L. Hall is an author, writer, award-winning writer, and a lifelong Drapetomaniac.
