Page 2: Second Half of the Poem and Conclusion

The second half of Checking Out Me History continues the pattern of contrasting well-known Western figures with important Black historical figures who are often overlooked in traditional education.

Example: The poem mentions Florence Nightingale but emphasizes Mary Seacole, a Jamaican nurse who also served in the Crimean War.

Definition: Mary Seacole - A British-Jamaican nurse who set up the "British Hotel" behind the lines during the Crimean War.

Agard introduces other significant Black historical figures:

• Nanny of the Maroons, described as a "see-far woman" and "fire-woman struggle"
• Shaka, the great Zulu leader

The poem also touches on the often-overlooked impact of colonization on indigenous peoples:

Quote: "Dem tell me bout Columbus and 1492 / but what happen to de Caribs and de Arawaks too"

Towards the end, the poem shifts from passive reception of history to active engagement:

Highlight: The lines "But now I checking out me own history / I carving out me identity" signify the speaker's determination to learn about their own cultural heritage.

This shift emphasizes the main theme of the poem: the importance of understanding one's own history and cultural identity, rather than accepting a narrow, imposed historical narrative.

Vocabulary: Identity - The characteristics determining who or what a person is, including their cultural and historical background.

The structure of Checking Out Me History reinforces its message through repetition, contrast, and a gradual shift from passive to active voice. This structure mirrors the speaker's journey from being told a selective history to actively seeking out their own cultural narrative.

Page 1: Introduction and First Half of the Poem

Checking Out Me History by John Agard begins with a powerful repetition of "Dem tell me," establishing the poem's central theme of imposed historical narratives. The speaker expresses frustration with being taught only selected aspects of history, primarily focused on Western figures and events.

Highlight: The repeated phrase "Dem tell me" creates a sense of separation, emphasizing how others are imposing their cultural narrative on the speaker.

The poem introduces the concept of being "bandaged" by a selective history, effectively blinding the speaker to their own identity. This metaphor is particularly striking:

Quote: "Bandage up me eye with me own history / Blind me to me own identity"

Agard contrasts well-known Western historical events and figures with lesser-known Black historical figures. For example:

Example: The poem mentions "Dick Whittington and he cat" but then introduces Toussaint L'Ouverture, a key figure in the Haitian Revolution, who is not typically taught in Western curricula.

Vocabulary: Toussaint L'Ouverture - A leader of the Haitian Revolution who helped establish Haiti as the first Black republic.

The structure of the poem alternates between what "dem tell me" and what "dem never tell me," highlighting the gaps in historical education.

Highlight: The use of non-standard English and Caribbean dialect adds authenticity to the speaker's voice and emphasizes the cultural disconnect.

The poem also touches on the historical context of colonialism and imperialism, reflecting Agard's own background as someone born in British Guyana during the colonial era.