09/06/2025
(Great Pax Wh**ey) Nikki Giovanni
AI Overview
Nikki Giovanni's poem "Great Pax Wh**ey" (1968) is a powerful critique of white supremacy and systemic oppression, arguing that concepts like "peace" and "democracy" have historically been used to justify violence against marginalized people.
The title is a biting, satirical reference to Pax Romana, the era of relative peace enforced by the Roman Empire through military might. By using the phrase "Pax Wh**ey," Giovanni suggests that the peace achieved in America has come at the expense of non-white people and has been maintained through oppressive force.
Key themes and elements of the poem include:
The hypocrisy of "peace": The poem, featured on her 1971 spoken-word album Truth Is on Its Way, is set against a gospel choir singing "Peace Be Still."
Giovanni's jarring words intentionally clash with the music's peaceful message, highlighting the ironic and violent history of the United States. She writes: "and america was born / where war became peace and genocide patriotism".
Historical atrocities: The poem references a wide range of historical injustices and state-sanctioned violence, including the genocide of Native Americans, the institution of slavery, and the assassinations of Black leaders.
Deconstructing patriotism: Giovanni challenges the concept of American patriotism, which she argues is built on a foundation of exploitation. In her view, the "honor" of America rests upon the forced labor of an "happy slave".
Black liberation: The poem ends by questioning when Black people will finally see true freedom. The persistent struggle for equality is conveyed through the repeated, powerful lines, "Ain't they got no shame? / Ain't we never gonna see the light?".
Overall, "Great Pax Wh**ey" serves as an explosive protest poem that indicts American history and exposes the mythology used to obscure the nation's violent origins. By contrasting sacred gospel music with a scathing political message, Giovanni created a work that is both revolutionary and deeply rooted in the Black oral tradition.
AI Overview
Peace Be Still (Great Pax Wh**ey) is a spoken-word performance by Nikki Giovanni that contrasts the gospel hymn "Peace, Be Still" with her searing poem "The Great Pax Whitie".
Recorded live in 1971 for her album Truth Is on Its Way, the piece uses this juxtaposition to critique the hypocrisy of white-led American society during the turbulent Civil Rights era.
Historical context
The Gospel Standard: "Peace, Be Still"
Giovanni's performance begins with a spiritual, "Peace, Be Still," which was famously arranged by Reverend James Cleveland in 1963.
The hymn is based on a biblical story in which Jesus calms a storm at sea with the words "Peace, be still".
For many Black Americans, the song was an anthem of faith and resilience, a source of solace during the profound struggles and violence of the 1960s, including the 1963 Birmingham church bombing.
The Black Arts Movement
Nikki Giovanni was a prominent figure in the Black Arts Movement, which used art and literature to explore Black identity and political liberation.
While some younger Black artists in the movement rejected the gospel tradition, Giovanni sought to bridge the gap between generations. She explained that she wanted to connect with older listeners by using a familiar spiritual before launching into her more radical message.
The "Great Pax Romana" and American hypocrisy
The title of Giovanni's poem, "The Great Pax Whitie," is a direct parody of the "Pax Romana," the period of relative peace imposed by the Roman Empire through military might.
By evoking this history, Giovanni argues that the "peace" of American society was built on the suppression and oppression of Black people. She highlights how concepts like "democracy" and "patriotism" have been used to justify racism, genocide, and war.
Thematic breakdown
Critique of white supremacy
Giovanni's poem begins with the line, "In the beginning was the word. And the word was Death. And the word was ni**er".
She recites a litany of historical atrocities, from the genocide of the Carthaginians to the assassinations of Black leaders, all perpetrated in the name of "peace".
Her words directly link the "Great Emancipator" Abraham Lincoln to racism ("the great emancipator was a bigot") and reframe American patriotism as intertwined with genocide.
Questioning false peace
The performance reaches a fever pitch as Giovanni's angry and rhythmic recitation of "The Great Pax Whitie" interrupts the choir's soaring gospel melody.
The juxtaposition of the spiritual's call for inner peace with the poem's exposure of external injustice is the heart of the performance. Giovanni asks, "Glory hallelujah why can't peace be still," suggesting that true peace is impossible until white society is forced to confront its legacy of violence.
As the piece concludes, Giovanni's voice eventually melds back into the choir's singing, a symbolic act of returning to her roots while carrying the weight of her political critique.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rnv9l0zI_eM
Text: https://www.scribd.com/document/474421176/The-Great-Pax-Whitie
Great Pax Wh**ey (1971) Nikki Giovanni featuring The New York Community Choir
