The Detroit tribune. (Detroit, Mich.) 1935-1966, 1943-05-22
CHEST COLUMNIN1
A PARODY OF
WHEN YOU COME BACK TO ME-
crcI MuITT AKEp RNXkIN
By CECIL WHITAKER BOYklN


n,a,sted Ia all the Negro men in he armed serviccs)
prea me beautiful piece OF prose entitled when You
s.o Ne that widely published.
ihc Nash Kelyinator advertisements couldn't help
.es aencni and picture courageous
". IA raes IN ans small southern the place
- .b4, ISL IN tried imagine her
M II h husband and this the wayHIln afraid
.oDAfss q write her letter;
"Iknop you will come back to I've never doubt
= .hsf e.trt And when you do pack you Will
and .t a you left them everything your letters tell me
.n lad icarta) ! will be wearing the same old blue
res. wore he day YOU went away The allotment of
ga month wouldn't allow me to buy one And
!, m fr tie silverish bracelet you gave last April
m osr as1s.s elsary
"ad waiting for YOU the children viii be first to
Lsr ~ nd Of Your step on the walk and the quick way
s soa 500 only YOU open and shut the old door. eve
taye rs ad therefore, gate-the house crowded
beeeea ,ao othcrs)
o4u ,sev viii run to greet YOU far out-racng my
,ar swift AS meeting you with shouts and laughter be-
ere hs cTon reached the door,
~Nhf You come back to me- you will find nothing
haaeod Those al home promise that Here in our town
o.rchdrer are still free to sleep and laugh and play
n The streets and alleys, they don't have playground
ior toiot9 his section Of town YOU know ten
ri< coi N community centcr)-s free 10 look TO the
XIV cearc cd and unafrad- (bu not look lower than
tts s Hatrad for then they would see the cars that
st ihn down PLAYING in the streets, the DRINKS the
prostitutes Yes Your children them for are still
sarred n restricted neighborhoods The city cares
hos p enSe it grants for taverns to operate in our
rOee house still stands not quite a. white and lovely
va~'hs landlord won't paint or paper. since the
opA him raise the rent every year as he used 10
io arc ao0n the street. there NAPLES. only the
rre And every sunday Steepe bells still ring in
'3rcrR stl sing HYMNS to God-loyal to religion
thar ned but seldom practiced
ased the children and ask myself is This
VIA l0 RE FIGHTING FOR???
Az proud Of YOU
iy mat the papers saying that you are max
fT ise a hate and greed and tyranny Will never rise
Threaten Us again (Again? We face the hate every
tine seek lob that is not additionally mental the
greed when hcy refuse to what it takes to live, yet
charge rents far beyond any other group-and exploit
y store hy attempting to shove shoddy merchandise of
On ns-ald tyranny. God knows YOU colored boys have
foand he Army-and here home whenever Of
Us dare voice and ask for that which right
,~.t 1ifs3 W e are proud 10 make our own sacrifices
h7ffg teet they Will help bring YOU back 10 sooner
Sa fene the same town where the little dinky rail
rag sa n has one door that says white and one door
iaa AZ c0lored" Where the same drinking fountain
Sasi, th two spoGts, labeled white and "coored
s1a g e same lob (heaven forbid that You never liked
e Warren cut out TO be porter. aborer but they
eh ans positions for colored folks doing what YOU
esrea % doD To the same America have always
f9n nc loved tdear old Jim Crow where we can
'ofs fa build and plan tunti your heart breaks, and
Ne ne same breaks. opportunities. recognition
t"l Vac newest enigran of the boat gets) where to-
Pe'he do without the things eve always dream
50 mere We and our children free TO make our
.se ai we want them TO be $50 long don't aim too
Npave never said. That's the America want when
.one eaek don't change that, ever. don't let anyone
'Amper With the way Of living that works like hell
. Never fear darling-thats not the way all want
y Afq hope and pray. and fight day everything
0N e here Just you left it, just as you don't want
y hen YOU come back 10 me-
zen YOU come back to me, darlng-l want you to
g'N9 paek 20 new Amerca-where YOU can hold your
fd nigh the next man-where your ability and not
3F DIOR determines your job-where you vote with
I" paying for the constitution granted ghtswhere you
@N 'e anywhere you afford TO live and not worry
'. hanging the racial characteristics of neighbor-
here our children may attend schools with equal
sa'les that other children use--where walk in
a ear IN any restaurant pocketbook afford-and
~ pr nsulted That's the kind Of America want you to
tome back to-
mere are some who fighting that these things
n"y never be changed--but while YOU fight over there
n hRhi over here that lots of these things in America
w nr cnanged when YOU come back TO me.