Ashley Michelle Jones (born 1990) is an American poet and activist. She is the first Black Poet Laureate of Alabama (2022–2026) and the youngest person to hold this position. Her poetry explores the impact the Deep South has on Black individuals and aspires to expose Black stories that were left behind due to Alabama’s historical enslavement of Black men and women. She is the author of three books: Magic City Gospel, dark//thing, and Reparations Now!.
For Joe Minter, the African Village in America, and 1504
And when those white-sailed ships
piled us together, cargo in the hull of hell,
the word rode with us, our tongues
anointed with the power of God.
When the lash found our language,
when they said don’t read or write,
our tongues were still gilded with a heavenly word.
We still sang that holy song,
even in this strange land. Even here, God spoke
to us and through us.
Our hands made language
and earth became fruitful,
and song became prayer,
and a people made do
with the bones and scraps of america.