Claudia Rankine, the renowned American poet and author of the New York Times bestseller Citizen: An American Lyric, recently revealed on BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs that she was born as a result of rape. Rankine shared that she had been “released” upon learning that she was not biologically attached to the violent man she had believed to be her father. She added that her mother had informed her of the truth after she had gone to retrieve her birth certificate ahead of her marriage. Despite this revelation, Rankine spoke compassionately about her mother and their shared experiences, stating, “We became women who shared something. Instead of a daughter who was critical of her inability to leave, I became a woman who was compassionate about her trauma.”
Rankine’s work aims to highlight the “weathering” that people of colour experience through everyday injustices, often referred to as “paper cuts.” She explained that being called by another person’s name, being told that one’s acceptance into a school or job was due to affirmative action, and other such small moments add up and amplify when instances of police brutality against black people are reported in the news. Through her writing, Rankine sheds light on these experiences and advocates for greater understanding and compassion.
Desert Island Discs featuring Claudia Rankine airs on BBC Sounds and BBC Radio 4 at 11.15am on Sunday.
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