WEBVTT

00:00:01.815 --> 00:00:06.376
I'm Clint Smith and this is
"Ode to the Only Black Kid in the Class."

00:00:08.206 --> 00:00:11.256
You, it seems,
are the manifestation

00:00:11.256 --> 00:00:13.826
of several lifetimes
of toil.

00:00:13.826 --> 00:00:16.065
Brown v. Board
in flesh.

00:00:16.065 --> 00:00:17.826
Most days
the classroom feels

00:00:17.826 --> 00:00:19.386
like an antechamber.

00:00:19.386 --> 00:00:20.646
You are deemed expert

00:00:20.646 --> 00:00:25.756
on all things Morrison,
King, Malcolm, Rosa.

00:00:25.756 --> 00:00:28.446
Hell, weren’t you sitting
on that bus, too?

00:00:28.446 --> 00:00:30.106
You are every-
body’s best friend

00:00:30.106 --> 00:00:31.796
until you are not.

00:00:31.796 --> 00:00:33.236
Hip-hop lyricologist.

00:00:33.236 --> 00:00:34.896
Presumed athlete.

00:00:34.896 --> 00:00:36.496
Free & Reduced sideshow.

00:00:36.496 --> 00:00:38.576
Exception and caricature.

00:00:38.576 --> 00:00:41.226
Too black and too white
all at once.

00:00:41.226 --> 00:00:42.466
If you are successful

00:00:42.466 --> 00:00:44.666
it is because
of affirmative action.

00:00:44.666 --> 00:00:46.146
If you fail it is because

00:00:46.146 --> 00:00:47.836
you were destined to.

00:00:47.836 --> 00:00:51.466
You are invisible until they turn on
the Friday night lights.

00:00:51.466 --> 00:00:54.406
Here you are star before
they render you asteroid.

00:00:54.406 --> 00:00:57.596
Before they watch
you turn to dust.