February Poet and Poem of the Month

Rodger L. Hilliard aka Unkle_rodger, is a poet who was born in NC. He grew up in North Philadelphia after his family moved shortly before he turned five years old.

After high school, he joined the U.S. Air Force and spent the next 20 years serving in the law enforcement career field. In 1998, he retired from the air force and began a career in campus policing at The Citadel. He served at The Citadel for over 22 years before retiring at the rank of Major in August of 2000. 

Rodger’s writings are strongly influenced by the likes of Gil Scott-Heron, Nikki Giovanni and The Last Poets and others. Like many, he vividly remembers the date of March 3rd, 1991. He recalls being fixated on the television watching  video of the LAPD beating of motorist Rodney King. He remembers going to work that night, still Black in America.

Still wearing a uniform, badge and gun.  

But above all, still a Black man in America. 

America, where many still viewed him as lesser than.

 Frustrated, angry and hurt, he sat in his patrol car, grabbed a notebook and pen,  and started writing it all down. 

He's still writing today. 

Rodger lives in North Charleston, SC., and enjoys spending quality time with his wife Linda. He also enjoys a good cigar and his bourbon neat!