A Coin Toss

America by Henry Dumas, a poem that speaks about freedom and what it means to be American. Henry Dumas gives imagery of a coin being flipped in the air where one can see the American eagle flying in the air but not leaving the coin. This could be read as a metaphor for how liberty is controlled by money and how capitalism is what controls the United States of America. We already discussed this in class though… I was interested in the larger picture. What does the coin flip represent?
I researched that Henry Dumas, before he himself was killed by police brutality, was an advocate for those of his own race that were being killed unjustly. It seemed like it was just a wrong place at the wrong time or being where the right racist cop was the feeling his right sentiments. While it may be premeditated or instinct for the killer there is nothing that the victim can do. The coin toss that is described in the poem can represent the seemingly odds-based way that the murders are committed. A coin toss is also something that has quite even odds. This can be a commentary on how often police brutality occurs.
The two sides of the coin are also unfavorable for the African-American people.  I see the presidential side, George Washington, as one that can represent older times of the United States where racism was rampant. The other side is the eagle. We discussed in class how the eagle is a representation of freedom, but as Dumas said the eagle doesn’t fly. This means that the eagle doesn’t actually have any freedom but provides a façade of liberty for the United States. Neither of these options are pleasant for the African-American population.

Dumas’ poem can be examined from a wide and short angle which makes the poem so multi-dimensional. I’m sure that there are other angles you can take on this poem and I’d be interested to see what you guys say.

Comments

  1. Annemily HogansonOctober 13, 2018 at 7:52 AM

    Nice post! I like your description of the eagle as representing a “façade of liberty.” I also hadn’t thought much about what the coin toss itself meant. I think it could also represent false hope. Theoretically a coin toss represents an objective way to make a decision but if the good side of the coin is actually bad then it’s just enabling a bad outcome to masquerade as fair.

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  2. UnknownOctober 13, 2018 at 1:17 PM

    This is great! I agree that the coin toss itself is a metaphor for the wrong place at the wrong time. Your last point really resonates with me though. There is a fifty-fifty chance of getting a heads or tails, or in other words, a win-lose situation. However, the images on the coin clearly point out the fact that it is a lose-lose situation for Black people in America. Black people will never be free from the history of slavery and the stereotypes that come with being Black. Great post :)

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  3. Xanthe BrownOctober 13, 2018 at 9:15 PM

    UGHHH this didn't publish my comment. But I said that I thought your post was really good!! It's interesting to think about the subtext, of the other side of the coin, what happens when the "Freedom" side loses - old presidents from the days before abolition. George Washington, who would be on the other side of a quarter, owned slaves (as did Jackson on the 20 dollar bill, Jefferson on the nickel, and many other presidents). We literally carry this history around in our pockets with us but we don't think about it when we pay for things. Thanks for the food for thought!

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