greatblackmusicproject.org

Songwriter, singer, playwright, and poet, Oscar Brown, Jr. of Chicago was a civil rights activist who fought as hard for humanitarian good as he did for musical innovation.

His work influenced artists like Nina Simone, Karrin Allyson, and Dee Dee Bridgewater. He died in May of 2005, age 78.

In the following poem, Brown rightly points out the vicious cycle of teen pregnancy, particularly for those trapped in underprivileged brackets of society. His words have a chilling effect; and they should: