Kevin C. Mitchell is a community activist, emcee, and poet. As Executive Director of the Empowerment Solidarity Network, he works to lift up Families of Color and other marginalized groups throughout Colorado Springs, Colorado. His first book of poetry, Words from a Field Negro, is a portrait of an unapologetic black male – a raw perspective of a modern-day “field negro” in American society.

Words From A Field Negro

“Not For Us” Poem By Kevin C Mitchell

Betsy Ross sewed a symbol of freedom for some, but a noose for others that waving banner had no bearing on shackled people it flew while blistered Black hands picked southern snow to make bales it has never been a comfort for our despised existence so despised yet Black hands built their white house and Black bones bore the weight of their white cruelty as Black breasts fed their little white babies but still coal bodies dangled from tree limbs damn this ungrateful nation and fuck your hurt when our knees drop to the ground saying we refuse to connect our hands to our hearts to pay respect to assassins only fools wish love and peace to their murderers but we Negroes of the fields are no fools we toil in the sun potting escape, only to return with more numbers to liberate our families and destroy your plantation built upon stolen land so from the thief we take back our existence we take back our right to be human our right to be.