Tag Archives: Africa

Up in Front (1909)

Welborn Victor Jenkins; Atlanta Independent, June 19, 1909

(Written by a trainman in appreciation of the boys who fired the trains on the Georgia road.)

1.
 No muse will sing of our deeds of nerve,
    No plaudits for us when our course is won;
 For we are naught but the dogs who serve,
    And silence must keep when the struggle is done.
 Yet we know best of all that our hearts are right,
    So we bend to our task till the saf'ty pops, "ziz."
 We fire our engines with all our might,
    But we're up in front where the danger is. Continue reading →

Sun-Kissed America (1924)

Nahum Daniel Brascher; Philadelphia Tribune, September 8, 1924

I am the symbol of Sun-Kissed America.
The blood of royalty runs through my veins.
From Africa’s soil; beyond the deep, blue sea,
Years long gone by,
Came they who gave to me beauty of Color.
Princes came out of Egypt; and from
The coast of Gold, though chained and scourged,
And made to toil by day and night,
Without reward, or hope.
But faith they kept, and love within their soul.
These gifts straight from God,
No man could steal,
Or cause to cringe beneath the lash.
Hope saw a star, the North,
Faith led the way;
Love unlocked the doors, and broke the chains.
The clash of steel, the lives of men
With countless names; blood of my
Blood, bone of my bone; in all the
Wars on this fair soil,
Helped to pay the price to make me free,
To see the Sun to know the God
To serve the cause and love
My fellowman.
That which was bought, at such a price,
In such a way, in blood and time.
Down all the streams of Time,
I hold most deal[?];
I will not [?] the trust,
Nor mar the honor of the sacred dead
I am the living symbol of Sun-Kissed America.
I will not cringe, nor bite the dust of fear,
I have a goodly heritage.
I will be a man–I AM AN AMERICAN.