George M Horton - remembering Juneteenth
Have you read George M Horton? if you haven't you can read for free below
First work published in the usa by a black person in 1865 , circa after the thirteenth amendment, by the only person to publish poetry while enslaved in the history of the U.S.A. is attributed to George M Horton.
He published three works while planned four in total, to my knowledge through Wikipedia.
The Hope of Liberty (1829)
This was Horton's first true attempt to buy his freedom. Most of the poems in the collection were themed around antislavery either indirect or directly. One was a thank you poem towards his publisher. Three previously published poems of were reworked and put into other poems in the collection. The editorial "Explanation" that opens The Hope of Freedom speaks of Horton's desire to emigrate to the new colony of Liberia; the collection was published so as to encourage donations.
TEXT
The Hope of Liberty. Containing a Number of Poetical Pieces.
Raleigh: J. Gales & Son, 1829.
https://docsouth.unc.edu/southlit/horton/menu.html
The Museum (never published)
Professor William Green of UNC-Chapel Hill, was editing the manuscript but the collection as a whole as never published. Many poems instead were published elsewhere or in his following collections.
Poetical Works (1845)
Published in Raleigh, North Carolina, this collection consisted of 45 poems, none directly about being enslaved or slavery in general. The reason for this was Horton expressed he was no longer inspired to write about slavery. Also due to North Carolina being more actively pro-slavery nearing the Civil War, Horton believed a collection similar to his first would not be published.
TEXT
The poetical works of George M. Horton : the colored bard of North-Carolina : to which is prefixed The life of the author
by Horton, George Moses, 1798?-ca. 1880; Heartt, Dennis, 1783-1870
Publication date 1845
https://archive.org/details/poeticalworksofg00hort/page/24/mode/2up
The Naked Genius: The Colored Bard of North-Carolina (1865)
Horton wrote 132 poems between the years 1820 - 1865 which were compiled into this collection. Forty-three poems were reprinted from previous collections or those already published in newspapers, in large, the theme of the collection was to thank his sponsors and those helping to give him his freedom, including President Lincoln and Union Army Generals. Horton hoped this collection would set him apart from the title of Slave Poet and give him distinction from his poetry. As well as further prove the capability of Black men.
TEXT
I wasn't able to find. If anyone finds it, do tell.
MY POEM in honor to George M Horton
The Freeman's Complaint , a late response to the Slave's complaint
Forever!
was wrote by my forebear long ago
a dreamy exaltation, to know
to reach where our ancestors sew
before unwanted immigrant woe
However!
I ponder unsure from where I lo
no shackles , white heritage tow
to embrace the easy Aquilow
forlease my black blood 's coveto
However!
time give far more than the past can kno
Black moderns have freedom to grow
to other plus our old blood's mow
Forever! is not for most one ro
However!
I can see a wisdom's cando
my forebears want stars unsow
to accept failed plans but trow
and be past vowfree to any pro
Nowever!
I wish all skinkin good fortuno
even if path's differ in glow
or I doubt success while a said tow
Now to happiness , Forever! so
from Richard Murray
NOTES:
To my poem
"forever" meaning for eternally
"exaltation" meaning a rising
"to know" meaning toward knowing
"immigrant" meaning one who moved permanently away
"however" meaning how eternally
"ponder" meaning to think
"unsure" meaning not safe
"lo" meaning to look
"heritage" meaning that which is carried
"Aquilow" cognate meaning Aquila latin for eagle and low, ala low eagle, a referral to the USA
"forelease" cognate meaning fore- before lease to loosen , to loosen before
"coveto" meaning to a little while potent covet , covet meaning extreme passionate desire, -o postfix meaning smaller in size while same in value
"kno" meaning know
"modern" meaning of the now, the time of this publication
"mow" meaning thing to be cut down
"ro" meaning road
"cando" meaning illumination, light from, short of candor [said can-dough]
"stars" meaning descendents
"unsow" meaning not sow, sow meaning put in a place, [ say sow like sew]
"trow" meaning have belief or faith in
"vowfree" meaning free of vows, vow is a verbal pledge, an attestation,
"pro" meaning toward , a way forward
"nowever" meaning now eternally
"skinkin" meaning kin of the skin , phenotype
"fortuno' meaning good fortune, in particular good luck or good fortune, fortune can be negative
LAST LINES
first line from the last line of The Hope Of Liberty, page 10 , THE SLAVE'S COMPLAINT.[ Forever! ]
HOPE OF LIBERTY
TEXT version
HTML version
https://1drv.ms/u/c/ea9004809c2729bb/ERJSA4MEpzNOgaUKiipgU-8BpRLnEgnS76h-_xZ3z2O-Mg?e=0rTZND
POETICAL WORKS
TEXT version
PDF version
https://1drv.ms/b/c/ea9004809c2729bb/EdgukNWJ3ZBPgtD9RfSXET8Bjgld-Uz0zJtLg4W6Ws-PVg?e=j4aKRe
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