You know what a woman
Once told me?
"You're very proper,
For a girl your color.
Not that all black people are problems,
But most problems
Involve black people.
And what good have they done us?
They should just go back
Where they came from."
As if we chose to come to America?
As if you hadn't
Packed us like cargo,
Carelessly, shamelessly.
Laid us by the starving,
The Weeping,
Or the rotting.
As if we chose the life
Of whips of chains?
But since you insist;
Maybe we should go?
And take all our things with us;

air conditioning unit: Frederick M. Jones; July 12, 1949
almanac: Benjamin Banneker; Approx 1791
auto cut-off switch: Granville T. Woods; January 1,1839
auto fishing devise: G. Cook; May 30, 1899
automatic gear shift: Richard Spikes; February 28, 1932
baby buggy: W.H. Richardson; June 18, 1899
bicycle frame: L.R. Johnson; Octber 10, 1899
biscuit cutter: A.P. Ashbourne; November 30, 1875
blood plasma bag: Charles Drew; Approx. 1945
cellular phone: Henry T. Sampson; July 6, 1971
chamber commode: T. Elkins; January 3, 1897
clothes dryer: G. T. Sampson; June 6, 1862
curtain rod: S. R. Scratton; November 30, 1889
curtain rod support: William S. Grant; August 4, 1896
door knob: O. Dorsey; December 10, 1878
door stop: O. Dorsey; December 10, 1878
dust pan: Lawrence P. Ray; August 3, 1897
egg beater: Willie Johnson; February 5, 1884
electric lampbulb: Lewis Latimer; March 21, 1882
elevator: Alexander Miles; October 11, 1867
eye protector: P. Johnson; November 2, 1880
fire escape ladder: J. W. Winters; May 7, 1878
fire extinguisher: T. Marshall; October 26, 1872
folding bed: L. C. Bailey; July 18, 1899
folding chair: Brody & Surgwar; June 11, 1889
fountain pen: W. B. Purvis; January 7, 1890
furniture caster: O. A. Fisher; 1878
gas mask: Garrett Morgan; October 13, 1914
golf tee: T. Grant; December 12, 1899
guitar: Robert F. Flemming, Jr. March 3, 1886
hair brush: Lydia O. Newman; November 15,18–
hand stamp: Walter B. Purvis; February 27, 1883
horse shoe: J. Ricks; March 30, 1885
ice cream scooper: A. L. Cralle; February 2, 1897
improv. sugar making: Norbet Rillieux; December 10, 1846
insect-destroyer gun: A. C. Richard; February 28, 1899
ironing board: Sarah Boone; December 30, 1887
key chain: F. J. Loudin; January 9, 1894
lantern: Michael C. Harvey; August 19, 1884
lawn mower: L. A. Burr; May 19, 1889
lawn sprinkler: J. W. Smith; May 4, 1897
lemon squeezer: J. Thomas White; December 8, 1893
lock: W. A. Martin; July 23, 18–
lubricating cup: Ellijah McCoy; November 15, 1895
lunch pail: James Robinson; 1887
mail box: Paul L. Downing; October 27, 1891
mop: Thomas W. Stewart; June 11, 1893
motor: Frederick M. Jones; June 27, 1939
peanut butter: George Washington Carver; 1896
pencil sharpener: J. L. Love; November 23, 1897
record player arm: Joseph Hunger Dickenson January 8, 1819
refrigerator: J. Standard; June 14, 1891
riding saddles: W. D. Davis; October 6, 1895
rolling pin: John W. Reed; 1864
shampoo headrest: C. O. Bailiff; October 11, 1898
spark plug: Edmond Berger; February 2, 1839
stethoscope: Imhotep; Ancient Egypt
stove: T. A. Carrington; July 25, 1876
straightening comb: Madam C. J. Walker; Approx 1905
street sweeper: Charles B. Brooks; March 17, 1890
phone transmitter: Granville T. Woods; December 2, 1884
thermostat control: Frederick M. Jones; February 23, 1960
traffic light: Garrett Morgan; November 20, 1923
tricycle: M. A. Cherry; May 6, 1886
typewriter: Burridge & Marshman; April 7, 1885

Because you know...
What good have we done you?