Tyehimba Jess

[Beverly]

In another thread Columbus has mentioned that Olio by Tyehimba Jess and wanted to share Jess reading explaining one of his poems at a Tedx Talk a couple of years ago.

Tyehimba tells the story of the McCoy Sisters who were conjoined through the hips. Each possessed her own arms, legs, and respiratory systems. They were born into slavery, rented out as freak show attractions by the age of 3, kidnapped to Britain, and then returned to American slavery. After the Civil War they traveled around the world as multilingual dancing, singing, piano playing stars.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmtH0...

[Beverly]

Beverly wrote: "In another thread Columbus has mentioned that Olio by Tyehimba Jess and wanted to share Jess reading explaining one of his poems at a Tedx Talk a couple of years ago..."

I forget to me that these poems/talk resounded even more with me because I have recently finished read Truevine: Two Brothers, a Kidnapping, and a Mother's Quest: A True Story of the Jim Crow South by Beth Macy, a nonfiction book, which recounts the story of two albino brothers who were kidnapped so to perform in side shows.