Nikky Finney's Dancing With Strom

Through the study of life and literature, one can tell that racism continues to be truly pervasive. In Nikky Finney’s “Dancing with Strom”, the reader can witness the tension that exists between the races in society today. Although the poem shows how as times progress, mentalites seem to change as well, it is evident that many African Americans, such as Nikky Finney, still live in fear of the racism that hides and lurks in the corners.

Nikky Finney was born in 1957 in a small city on the coast of South Carolina. Daughter of the first African-American Chief Justice from South Carolina and a school teacher, she was a “nose-in-book daughter,” reading and writing poetry (“About Nikky”). Her work is a rich cocktail of her parents’ histories, and

that of her ancestors. Nikky Finney was raised during the struggle over integration; therefore a majority of her life was influenced by the problems of the south. She writes of African connection to the land, the deep culture of African American history, and is an avid protector of its liberty (Nikky Finney).
“Dancing with Strom” takes place at the wedding of Finney’s youngest brother.

It is a very elegant wedding; the women are “drenched in caramel, double exposed, triple cinched, ready” (Finney 63). At this wedding, the guests are lined up to dance with Strom Thurmond. Thurmond was a senator from South Carolina who was known for rejecting the Civil Rights Movement of 1957. As such, his appearance at this heavily African American wedding is quite controversial. However, the guests line up to dance with him. All the guests except for the Finney, who is true to her roots as an African American woman. Since she is educated on African American history, she makes the informed decision to not dance with the man who denied African Americans common rights to life and liberty. Throughout the poem, Finney reminisces on her history, including her family history and the history of her ancestors. As the poem closes, she remains true to her original ideals to not dance with Strom

Thurmond.
If “Dancing with Strom” was a story, Senator Strom Thurmond would be its antagonist. Thurmond, a fiend in the political world, “the favorite son of South Carolina,” reigned as senator for 48 years and ran for president in 1948 under the short lived States Rights Democratic party, whose mission statement was to protect what they portrayed as the “southern” way of life beset by an oppressive federal government. Accurately, many called this the “Dixiecrat” party. But Strom Thurmond will be remembered as the man who gave the longest filibuster in American history (24 hours, 18 minutes) in opposition of the Civil Rights Act of 1957. This poem discusses the controversy behind the fact that Strom Thurmond is present at Finney’s brother’s wedding. As a result of his opposition to the Civil Rights Act of 1957, he ended up switching political parties because of the liberalism that was taking place in his own. Because he has proclaimed that he is in fact not a racist, Finney’s family accepts him and the guests at the wedding even dance with him. However, Finney does not want to dance with him because she is educated on her heritage and her history and she understands that men like Strom are in fact the reason that African American rights were so hard to come by. Nikky Finney presents Thurmond not just as a man, but as a symbol of everything that he she has fought to eradicate, “a face of hatred; the blue eyes of the confederate flag.” He is, in Nikky’s mind, an intruder, and Nikky escapes to the only safe haven she and her heritage knows – a porch.
Throughout the poem, Nikky Finney uses a porch as a symbol for safety.

Instead of getting in line to dance with Strom, she refuses to “leave the porch” (64). This symbol is significant because of the historical context behind it. As Finney describes, “Enslaved Africans gifted porches to North America” (65). Their masters instructed them to construct porches as a place for them to live. However, the main purpose of the porch was to protect the house. By living on the porch, slaves could easily see trouble coming and prevent it before it struck. By mentioning the porch, Finney makes a reference to her ancestry that only furthers the fact that she knows exactly where she comes from. From this symbol, the reader can see exactly how Finney intends to treat Thurmond: as a wolf in sheep’s

clothing.
This piece connects with almost anyone in society. The poem is bringing to light the issues of racism and segregation. Everywhere in the world, there is inevitable racism and discrimination; there is no possibility that our world will eradicate all racism for good. As a result, everyone in society has experienced racism or discrimination in one way or another.
As Nikky Finney remains on the safety of her porch, many African Americans today struggle with the fear of facing racism on a daily basis. However, Finney shows the reader that if one remains true to their roots, an individual will know the truth about society. As one continues to learn the truth, an individual can also keep their distances from potential dangers, such as Strom Thurmond. Although Thurmond does not seem to be a danger in the time the poem is told, we know from his history that he stood by denying African Americans simple rights. Finney fights for education of the masses, so people can know where it is that they come from so no one makes the mistake of dancing with Strom Thurmond.