WEBVTT

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There's a group of
poems in here that deal

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with the
African-American soldiers

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who fought in World War I. And
these soldiers what they do

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is really quite odd.

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It's really quite
ironic how they

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came to fight in the
war to end all wars.

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A war that was supposed to make
the world safe for democracy.

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It turned out that many Black
men did enlist in the army

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and they wanted to fight
when America finally

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did join the war.

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Later, however, they
were not sent overseas

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because the United States
Army was segregated.

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And the armed forces,
the people in charge,

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couldn't figure
out, heaven forbid,

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that these black soldiers
should fight side by side

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with the white soldiers.

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And so, these soldiers actually
just languished here in camps

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until the French said,
well, if you don't want them

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we'll certainly take them.

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What happened then was
that several regiments

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of black soldiers were
put under French command

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during World War
I. And they fought

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in uniforms which were motley
of both American and French

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nations.

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They distinguished
themselves in combat.

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Got an amazing number of awards,
French awards, for valor.

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They were the first to reach
the Rhein in 1918.

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And they did something
else that was very cool.

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They brought jazz to Europe
because one of the regiments

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was headed by a man named
Lieutenant James Reese Europe.

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Another irony.

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That a black man's
name is Europe,

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but he had been a band
leader before the war.

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And when America did join
forces with the allies,

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he was asked to put
together a military band

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and provide entertainment.

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And to also act in that,
kind of, diplomatic role.

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So they played jazz and
all throughout Europe.

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I'll read you two
poems from this group.

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Neither of which take place
during the war itself,

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during the war when
America was in it.

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The first one-- they both
spoke about James Reese Europe.

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The first one
takes place in 1915

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in New York City, right before--

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well before America
joined the war

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but the war was
certainly going on.

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James Reese Europe's
Society Orchestra

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used to play for Vernon and
Irene Castle's dinner dances.

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And Vernon and Irene Castle
were this [INAUDIBLE] couple.

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They won a lot of dancing,
partner dancing, to people

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and taught them.

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They, basically, taught a
lot of English elite whites

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in New York City how to dance.

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And they had a dance
called the Castle Walk.

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Now this dance was, as
far as I could make out

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from old descriptions of--

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was really a little
more than a, kind of,

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what Morticia and Gomez--

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[LAUGHTER]

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--thing.

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It was, kind of, put your
cheeks together and go.

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So you have James Reese Europe
playing these wonderful rag

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times to a group of
people who really don't

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know how to appreciate them.

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"The Castle Walk" You
can't accuse this group

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of having too much muster.

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Their glove, their
button tighter than buddy

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snare drum but their
pink so we pay them back.

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Pour on the violins,
insinuate a cello,

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lay some grizzly piano
under that sweet jelly roll.

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Our boys got a snap
and buzz no one dancing

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in this gauze and tinsel
showroom knows how to hear.

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The couple stroll past counting
to themselves as they orbit.

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Chins down as if expecting a
kiss or in need of a shave.

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We pinch and surge
through each ragtime.

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And I swear it's both
luck and hardship, the way

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the music slips as it burns.

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These white folks
stomp through privilege

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just like they dance, one,
two, stop, pose over and over.

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We ain't nobody special,
but at least we know it.

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Across the Black
Atlantic, their trampling

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up the map into a crazy
quilt of rage and honor.

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Here, the biggest news going
would be Irene and Vernon

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teaching the Castle Walk.

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Trot on, Irene.

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Vernon, fake that
juke joint slide.

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So boys, lay down tracks.

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The old world's
torched [INAUDIBLE]

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buy the string as
far as it's going.

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Let's kick it.

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Time for the [INAUDIBLE]
Buddy it's set in motion

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and you Mr cricket
Smith mortified

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with your [INAUDIBLE]
molten silver moon.

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