Racism Ballad Of Birmingham By Dudley Randall

Dudley Randall: “Ballad of Birmingham” The poem “Ballad of Birmingham” by Dudley Randall represents a devastating event. The event takes place in the times of racism. The ballad was published in 1965. This poem is a very sad but very realistic turn of events. There is a child who wants to march for freedom. Her mother denies her permission to march because of the possible violence that may commence, putting her child in harms way. She will not let her child march but she believes she will be safer going to church. We can try our hardest to protect our children from harms way but sometimes its just not enough. When the child asks for permission to go march the mother says no. These times were dangerous and the mother understands how protest and political movements have a tendency to become out of control. “No,

She anxiously moved through all the rubbish the explosion had caused. “She clawed through bits of glass and brick”(29). The mother looked desperately for her child. “ Then lifted out a shoe”(30) that shoe was the white shoe her daughter was wearing. It was a devastating day for the mother and many others who lost their lives that day. We can do all we can to protect the ones we love from harm. Unfortunately there is harm and evil all around us. We can’t change what will happen or has happened. This poem resembles a ballad because it song like. This poem shows the ugliness of racism and crime. The ugliness of racism takes innocent lives and sometimes, young ones. It is not the mother’s fault for sending her child to church. She was doing what she needed to and what she thought was right to protect her daughter. The message we can take away from this story is no place is safe from racism. Even the safest of places need to be entered with caution. We live in a world of hate. Sadly there is not much we can do to avoid it. What we can do is be better people and not let prejudice get the best of