Black Culture
Fashion
In the 1920’s the world saw a rebirth of Black culture, art, and identity. The Harlem Renaissance was a creative, intellectual, and political movement. For the first time Black people took control over the representation of our culture. Fashion trends like the Zoot suit popularized by Cab Calloway, still influences menswear today. In women's wear, flapper dress and style was an expression of women's independence, and sexual freedom. Josephine Baker was a muse of the era, representing the modern woman. Her look inspires fashion to this day.
The 1960's saw the emergence of the "Black Is Beautiful" movement. Black people were fighting for equal rights, and fighting racist beliefs that our natural features and hair were ugly. Members of the Black Panther Party wore black leather jackets, black pants, and black berets. The Black Panthers "uniform sparked the beginning of fashion's role with activism, paving the way for bohemian protest style of the 1970's as well as more recently the pink pussy hat and women's rights." The "urban militant" style inspires fashion still today.
The 1980's and 90's saw the rise of Hip Hop and streetwear. In the 80's groups like Run- DMC popularized gold rope chains, track suits, and sneaker culture. In the 90's Afro- centric prints and graphic tees with Black icons became widely popular.
In the 2000s streetwear became recognized in high fashion. Dapper Dan opened Harlem's first luxury fashion house in the 80's. He created looks for many Black celebrities, and soon found mainstream success. Virgil Abloh, founded the high- end streetwear brand Off- White. In 2018 Virgil Abloh became the first Black artistic director of Louis Vuitton menswear line.
Other Black designers are Pyer Moss pioneering approach fuses personal style, Black History and politics. Victor Glemaud is known for his amazing knitwear. Teflar Clemens’ line Teflar is a unisex line that champions gender neutral clothing. Andrea Iyamah specializes in swimwear for all bodies. Liya Kebede’s line Lemlem is made by artisans across Africa.
Fashion is a major part of Black Culture, expression, and identity.
Philosophy
Human beings have always searched for knowledge and contemplated the meaning of life, and our existence in this world. Most of what we've been taught about philosophy is heavily focused on the Greeks. Over 2,000 years before the appearance of Thales of Miletus (636- 546 BCE) who is considered the first Greek philosopher, Egypt was already established as the educational capital of the world. Greek writers and philosophers Thales, Homer, Plato, Aristotle and many others traveled to Egypt to study mathematics, law, philosophy, medicine, astronomy, literature, and religion.
Egyptian philosophy values morals, and how to be a good person. Egyptian philosopher Hardjedef (fl. 2570 BCE) had a reputation for great wisdom. "The Instructions of Hardjedef" is said to be the oldest Egyptian philosophy and ethics writing. Only a few pieces from the beginning of the text survived. Hardjedef's teachings were a public offering to his young son. He wrote:
"Clean yourself in your own eyes before someone can clean you"
"Take a wife who has mastered her heart and multiply"
"Death lowers us, life lifts us"
Egyptian philosopher Ptahhotep (fl. 2400 BCE) was a vizier in the Old Kingdom. "The Maxims of Ptahhotep" is believed to be the oldest book in the world. Ptahhotep teaches practicing kindness, moderation, honesty and justice towards everyone equally. He writes:
"If you are with people, gain support through trust. The trusted who don't let their stomachs do the talking take the lead."
“ As ill will comes from opposition, so goodwill increases love”
Early Egyptian writings referred to a good person as a "king guided individual" the definition of good later changed when Egyptians believed the heart to be the center of our being. A good person was then called a "heart guided individual, who puts wisdom over desire, mind over the body, and thus has self- control and full potential. This was seen as putting oneself in- line with the cosmos, as being, the one eternal whole" "The shift from 'king guided' to 'heart guided' shows the increasing need for self- regulation, self- control, and self- consciousness in an increasing complex society.”
Origins of Coffee
Early last year I flew to Oakland, CA to teach a workshop inspired by my Black History & Yoga Series. After the first session a few students took me out to dinner at a nearby Ethopian restaurant, there I learned that Ethiopia is the birthplace of coffee. As much as I love coffee, this information was new to me. After learning that coffee originated in Ethiopia, I had to try it. The next day another teacher took me to an outdoor market, where I had my first cup of Ethopian coffee. After we ordered our coffee, the server told us that the people that just left already paid for us, so we then paid for the next person's coffee. This was one of the best coffee experiences I had.
The story begins with a goat herder from Kaffa named Kalidi. It is said that Kalidi discovered coffee "after he noticed that after eating the berries from a certain tree, his goats became so energetic that they would not sleep at night." Kalidi tried the berries himself, and he too felt the energizing effects. He told his wife, and she advised him to share this with the monks and he did. Kalidi didn't get the warmest welcome at first, as one of the monks threw the beans in the fire. The aroma of the roasted beans caught their attention. They then crushed the beans and put them in hot water to preserve them. They decided to drink it daily to help them stay awake during prayers.
As coffee spread in Kaffa many people added melted ghee for flavor and nutrition. Coffee traveled to Yemen in the 15th century when a Sufi mystic traveled to Ethiopia and found out about these beans. By the 16th century it had spread to Persia, Egypt, Syria, and Turkey. By the 17th century coffee had made its way to Europe.
Ethiopian coffee is known for its smooth, elegant, yet complex flavor. Light to medium body with herbal, floral, and citrus notes. In Ethiopia coffee is enjoyed as a communal experience. Ethiopia is one of the world's largest producers of coffee, and it consumes more than half of its own production. "Coffee is not just the national drink but its staple. Buna dabo naw goes a popular expression: 'Coffee is our bread'." Coffee is part of the culture.
The Harlem Renaissance
The Harlem Renaissance was a cultural celebration, a rebirth of Black creativity, art, identity and expression. "The origins of the Harlem Renaissance lie in the Great Migration of the early 20th century, when hundreds of thousands of black people migrated from the South into dense urban areas that offered relatively more economic opportunities and cultural capital." The hope was that there'd be more opportunity, better pay, and better working conditions up North. They soon found out that they had to compete for housing and jobs. And when they did get work, many had to deal with dangerous working conditions. "While segregation was not legalized in the North (as it was in the South), racism and prejudice were nonetheless widespread." Still, the impact of the great Great Migration changed many Northern cities forever.
In the 1880's the neighborhood of Harlem was meant to be an upper- class white neighborhood. Due to overdevelopment many buildings were left empty, and landlords were looking to fill the vacant units. In the early 1900's Black migrants looking for housing, and middle- class Black families from other neighborhoods in New York started moving to Harlem. Whites in the neighborhood initially fought to keep Blacks out, when their efforts didn't work they fled. "This considerable population shift resulted in a Black Pride movement with leaders like Du Bois working to ensure that Black Americans got the credit they deserved for cultural areas of life."
"The Harlem Renaissance encompassed poetry and prose, painting and sculpture, jazz and swing, opera and dance. What united these diverse art forms was their realistic presentation of what it meant to be black in America, what writer Langston Hughes called an 'expression of our individual dark-skinned selves,' as well as a new militancy in asserting their civil and political rights." Artist of the Renaissance include Claude McKay, Jean Toomer, Selma Burke, James Weldon Johnson, Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, Countee Cullen, Louis Armstrong, Augusta Savage, Duke Ellington, Bessie Smith, and Josephine Baker.
Black Hair
The history of Black hair begins in Africa. Pictures of hairstyles such as locks, braids, wigs and afros can be found in drawings, and hieroglyphs from many African tribes. Hair grooming played a significant part in identity and status. Certain styles of braids were a way to tell someone's social status, age, rank, marital status, wealth, and religion. Women and men used shells, flowers, and other items, to adorn their hair and express their personalities. Hair coloring and wigs date back to Ancient Egypt. Ghana braids, now called banana braids date back to 500 B.C. Plaits now called box braids date back to 3500 B.C. in South Africa. Other styles like Fulani braids, Bantu knots, goddess braids originated in Africa.
When Africans were enslaved and brought to America. They were also forced to cut their hair. This stripped them of their identity. European beauty standards were forced on them, and the belief that lighter skin, and straighter hair was better has been passed down through generations. In the late 1700's free Black women wore their hair in elaborate styles, laws like the Tignon law were passed, forcing Black women to cover their hair when out in public. Black women then used bold and beautiful scarves to elaborately wrap their hair.
Madam C. J. Walker produced some of the first haircare products for Black women, and popularized the press and curl style. Later chemical straighteners were used to permanently straighten our hair. In 1936 Haile Selassi, the Emperor of Ethiopia was forced into exile after leading a resistance against Italian invasion. Guerilla warriors vowed not to cut their hair until Haile Selassi was freed from exile. Their hair matted and locked. It is said that because the warriors with locks in their hair were "dreaded" or "feared" the style of hair became known as dreadlocks.
During the Black power movement Black people wore their natural hair. Today Black hair looks in all directions. Many styles that we wear today resemble hairstyles from Ancient Africa. If we wear weave, wigs, chemical process, textured looks, natural styles, locks, fades, or edgy cuts our hair is how we express ourselves. It's part of our identity.
Ragtime
Ragtime is a "musical phenomenon" influenced by minstrel show songs, syncopated off beat/ ragged rhythms, and a style of playing the piano like the banjo. A forerunner to jazz Ragtime was the popular music style from 1895- 1917. Ragtime was developed in Black communities throughout the Southern part of the midwest, particularly St. Louis. "Ragtime found its characteristic expression in formally structured piano compositions. The regularly accented left-hand beat, was opposed in the right hand by a fast, bouncingly syncopated melody that gave the music its powerful forward impetus."
Ernest Hogan, the first Black person to star in a Broadway show, coined the term "ragtime" and helped make it popular. Ernest Hogan’s song "All Coons Look Alike to Me" was actually stolen from a Chicago pianist's song "All Pimps Look Alike to Me" the change of the word "pimp" to "coon" pissed off a lot of Black people, many refused to sing the song. However, the song still sold over a million copies.
The most famous composer of Ragtime music is Scott Joplin. He is often referred to as the "King of Ragtime" He composed the two most popular Ragtime songs "The Entertainer" and "Maple Leaf Rag" He wrote over 100 Ragtime pieces including one ballet and two operas. Scott Joplin passed away in 1917. His death "is widely considered to mark the end of ragtime as a mainstream music format; over the next several years, it evolved with other styles into stride, jazz and eventually big band swing."
James P. Johnson is one of the originators of the style known as the stride piano. He combined elements of Ragtime, Blues, and improvisation. Leading the way to early jazz. He was an influence on Duke Ellington, Count Basie, and Fats Waller. James P. Johnson composed "The Charleston," the unofficial anthem of the Roaring Twenties. He was considered one of the best jazz pianists of his generation.
Ragtime was the first Black musical genre to impact mainstream pop culture, it is also one of the first true American musical genres. I highly recommend listening to Scott Joplin on Spotify while working, cleaning, relaxing, or cooking.
Crispus Attucks
On the evening of March 5, 1770 British troops fired into an angry mob of American colonists. Crispus Attucks was the first victim killed by the British. Today Crispus Attucks is "celebrated not just as one of the first martyrs in what became the fight for American independence, but also as a symbol of African Americans’ struggle for freedom and equality."
Crispus Attucks' was born in Framingham, Massachusetts sometime around 1723. His father was an enslaved Black man, his mother a Native American woman. He spent most of his life enslaved in Framingham. He escaped slavery when he was 27. After his escape, he made his way to Boston and became a sailor.
Boston was tense leading up to the Masacre. British soldiers that occupied the city tried to enforce Britain's tax laws, and Americans were pissed. They protested, "vandalized stores selling British goods and intimidated store merchants and their customers."
It is said that Crispus Attucks "was at the front of the mob that went to confront the British soldiers. His brazen defiance took considerable courage, since he had escaped slavery, he faced the risk of being arrested and returned to servitude. The prudent thing to do for a man like Attucks was to back away from that confrontation, but he did not." According to witnesses Crispus Attucks swung at the captain, and tousled to take the gun of another soldier. The soldier regained control of the gun and shot Crispus Attucks in the chest. Five Americans were murdered, The soldiers responsible for the murders were aquitted. Crispus Attucks became a symbol for Black activists.
The Black Arts Movement
The Black Arts Movement is “the aesthetic and spiritual sister of the Black Power concept.” The Black Arts Movement began after Malcolm X was assassinated on February 21, 1965. Black people who embraced the Black Power Movement fell into two camps "the Revolutionary Nationalists, who were best represented by the Black Panther Party, and the Cultural Nationalists. The latter group called for the creation of poetry, novels, visual arts, and theater to reflect pride in black history and culture."
The "Black Arts Movement emphasized self-determination for Black people, a separate cultural existence for Black people on their own terms, and the beauty and goodness of being Black. Black Arts poets embodied these ideas in a defiantly Black poetic language that drew on Black musical forms, especially jazz; Black vernacular speech; African folklore; and radical experimentation with sound, spelling, and grammar." There are many similarities between the Black Arts Movement and the Harlem Renaissance, many scholars even refer to the Black Arts Movement as a second Renaissance. However, the Renaissance did not have the strong radical political side that was very present in the Black Arts Movement.
The Black Arts Movement officially started in New York, it soon spread to Newark, Detroit, Chicago, and San Francisco. In 1969 "The Black Scholar" was founded in San Francisco by Robert Chrisman and Nathan Hare. "The Black Scholar" is one of the first scholarly journals to promote Black studies in academia, political thought, and Black culture. "In Detroit, Lotus Press and Broadside Press republished older works of black poetry." Some work that came out of the Black Arts Movement was seen as homophobic, sexists, hyper masculine. Artists of the Black Arts Movement include Gwendolyn Brooks, Audre Lorde, June Jordan, Nikki Giovanni, Sonia Sanchez, Ntozake Shange, Amiri Baraka, Maya Angelou, and James Baldwin.
Alvin Ailey
Alvin Ailey was a dancer, choreographer, director, activist, and visionary. In 1958 he founded the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater "to carry out his vision of a company dedicated to enriching the heritage of American modern dance as well as safeguarding the uniqueness of the African American cultural experience." Alvin Ailey's work fused modern dance, jazz, theatre, ballet, spirituals, blues, and gospel.
Alvin Ailey was born January 5, 1931 in Rogers, Texas. Growing up in the segregated South, his childhood was rough with racism, violence, poverty, and abandonment. In 1941 His mother moved to Los Angeles, he joined her a year later. In 1946 he had his first experience with concert dance, which awakened his passion and love for dance. He studied regularly with his mentor Lester Horton, while also taking classes at UCLA. In 1953 he made his debut in Horton's "Revue Le Bal Caribe." Soon after his mentor Lester Horton passed away, and Alvin Ailey became the director of Horton Dance Theater. In 1954 he joined the Broadway show "House of Flowers" He then appeared in Harry Belofante's touring revue Sing, Man, Sing. In 1957 he joined the Broadway musical "Jamaica"
With a passion and love for dance and choreography, Alvin Ailey looked for work that fulfilled him and allowed him to express his vision through dance. There were very few opportunities for Black choreographers at the time, so he founded the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. AAADT welcomes dancers of all ethnicities and backgrounds. His best known work Revelations "illustrates the history, traditions, faith, and beliefs of the African American culture while telling the story of African-American faith and tenacity from slavery to freedom through a suite of dances set to spirituals, gospels, and blues music." In 2014 selected Alvin Ailey as a posthumous recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom. "Fundamentally, Ailey sought to represent the human condition: the fight for social justice, equality and freedom of speech... Alvin Ailey used the power of dance to express and empower the African-American people."
Hip Hop
Hip Hop is a "cultural movement that incorporates different elements of art. Four foundational elements characterize hip hop culture. The original four main pillars of hip hop include DJing/ turntablism, MCing/ rapping, B- boying/ breaking, and visual/ graffiti art. " Hip hop emerged from the Bronx in the early 1970's. The city at this time was suffering an economic collapse. In the Bronx businesses were closing. Crime, gang violence, and poverty increased. Much of the white middle class had already moved to the suburbs to escape the social and economic challenges. Young people needing an outlet, and an escape from the harshness of their reality found it in art and self- expression.
"Graffiti in hip hop began as a way of 'tagging' for one's crew/ gang, and developed during the 1970's on the subways in New York and later expanded to the city walls themselves... As time went by, graffiti artistically developed and began to greatly define the aesthetic of urban areas." DJ Kool Herc is credited as the originator of hip hop. Kool Herc was born in Kingston, Jamaica. He started out as a graffiti artist in a group called the Ex-Vandals.
“16-year-old Herc made his debut as a DJ at his sister’s party in the recreation room at 1520 Sedgwick Ave on August 11, 1973. Many believe this was the night Hip Hop was born." Kool Herc popularized rapping. He would rally dancers and hype the crowd by chanting “Rock on, my mellow!" "B-boys, b-girls, are you ready? keep on rock steady" "This is the joint! Herc beat on the point" "To the beat, y'all!" "You don't stop!" Kool Herc created the terms "bboy" "bgirl" or "bboying" Bboy means break boy, cause they would dance during the break part of the song. Kool Herc's style also influenced Afrika Bambaataa and Grandmaster Flash, and so many more.
"Hip hop is the voice of this generation. Even if you didn't grow up in the Bronx, in the 70's, hip hop is there for you. It has become a powerful force. Hip hop binds all of these people, all of these nationalities, all over the world together" - Kool Herc
Tej
Tej, the national drink of Ethiopia is a delicious honey wine. Tej has been enjoyed by Ethiopian's for over 3,000 years, and is believed to be the oldest alcoholic beverage ever produced. In Amharic Tej simply means wine. While Tej is similar to mead in that it is made by fermenting honey with water. "The only difference between the classic mead containing honey, water and yeast is the addition of leaves of a plant named gesho. Gesho scientifically called Rhamnus Prinoides is a bitter tasting plant, a species of buckthorn that is native to Africa, added to balance out the sweetness of the honey."
"Legend has it that, Makeeda, the Queen of Sheba then known as Saba visited King Solomon and they toasted with Makeeda’s Tej... It is believed also that modern day Ethiopia was originated from the Kingdom of Aksum ruled by a great monarch called Yekuno Amlak in 1270AD and they drank Tej." Past restrictions saw that Tej was only available to the upper class and royals, they were the only ones that could afford it. Today Tej is enjoyed by everyone, it is widely consumed in Tej houses in Ethiopia and Eritrea, and also made at home.
Tej is traditionally served chilled in a long neck glass called a Berele. In Western bars you might be served Tej in a regular wine glass, or have it mixed in with other ingredients to make a cocktail. This of course is unheard of in Ethiopia, where it is just drunk straight. You can get traditional Tej in many Ethiopian restaurants. There are also recipes available online, that you can use to make your own. Tej is enjoyed "to feel the real essence of the people... It’s not just about putting alcohol in your stomach. It’s about socializing. It’s what our fathers did. We are drinking history!”
Marching Bands
The earliest marching bands in America were military marching bands. Though Black men were allowed to serve in the military, they were often forbidden to bear arms for fear of uprising. Instead they served as drummers, fifers, and trumpeters. "the numerous black musicians who composed the military bands of the early nineteenth century undoubtedly acquired their training—as well as access to instruments—during the War of 1812." Soon after the war ended all Black brass bands began to emerge in cities like New York, Philadelphia, and New Orleans. And by the time the civil war began brass instruments were introduced in the military marching bands.
Many Black military bands formed again during World War I. After the war many of these Black musicians went on to join the faculty of the music departments at black colleges, and became some of the schools first band directors, bringing on that military marching style and precision. The bands were originally formed to raise money for the schools.
The earliest historically black college and university (HBCU) band started at Tuskegee University. Other early black collegiate bands were established at Alabama State, Florida A&M, and Kentucky State. In 1905 the University of Illinois band director Albert Austin Harding broke away from the "monotony of military exercise drilling" and the band began to form letters, and patterns on the field. In 1946 Dr. William P. Foster introduced up-tempo music, and dance moves that "injected a new energy in the band and in the audience." This style and showmanship that HBCU marching bands are known for started at Florida A&M University (FAMU).
Today HBCU marching bands are still known for their style, showmanship, intricate dance routines, and incorporating popular music. HBCU bands have performed at parades, super bowls, and for presidents. "HBCU bands are vital to a school's reputation. They create the soundscape of sporting events, homecomings, and much more. At some schools, these members are even more popular than football and basketball players. Bands ARE the sporting event!"
Black Fraternities and Sororities
Greek letter organizations (GLO's) began in the early 19th century, these first fraternities were all White. With integration college campuses saw more Black students, but racism within GLO's saw to it that membership remained white. In the early 20th century Black students came together to combat racism within GLO’s by forming their own fraternities and sororities. These pioneer Black Greek letter organizations (BGLO's) became known as the "Divine Nine." BGLO's "have been a central resource for support and service in the educational advancement and strengthening of social bonds among black students, entrepreneurs and professionals"
Alpha Phi Alpha, the first intercollegiate BGLO was founded at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY. "The Fraternity initially served as a study and support group for minority students who faced racial prejudice, both educationally and socially, at Cornell." Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority was founded in 1908 at Howard University, with the principles of "sisterhood, scholarship, and service to all humankind."
Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity was founded in 1911 at Indiana University. The state of Indiana during this time was extremely racist, it "became a stronghold for the Ku Klux Klan." Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity was formed “To promote the spiritual, social, intellectual and moral welfare of members.” Omega Psi Phi fraternity was founded in 1911 at Howard University. Omega Psi Phi was founded with the belief that “friendship is essential to the soul." And the guiding principles of "Manhood, Scholarship, Perseverance, and Uplift."
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority was founded in 1913 at Howard University "to use their collective strength to promote academic excellence and to provide assistance to those in need."other BGLO's of the "Divine Nine" are Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Founded 1914, Howard University, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Founded 1920, Howard University, Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Founded 1922, Butler University, Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Founded 1963, Morgan State University. “Black Greek Letter Organizations continue a long tradition of celebrating culture and being advocates for social and racial justice.”
Junkanoo
Junkanoo is a Bahamian national festival. The Junkanoo street parade is celebrated with music, drums, dancing, and costumes. While Junkanoo is also celebrated in Miami , and Key West "he largest Junkanoo celebration takes place in the Bahamas, "on Bay Street, in downtown Nassau, but Bahamians across the 16 islands celebrate this joyful tradition." In the Bahamas Junkanoo is celebrated on Boxing Day (the day after Christmas) and New Year’s Morning.
While the true origins of Junkanoo is unknown, its roots can be traced back to West Africa. "The most popular legend states that the name originated from John Canoe, an African tribal chief who demanded the right to celebrate with his people even after being brought to the West Indies in slavery." Many enslaved Africans got their longest break of the year on Christmas, they often celebrated with dancing, singing, preparing special meals, and visiting relatives. The story of John Canoe originated around the 17th century.
Junkanoo began as a masquerade, Black people would use flour paste and color crepe paper to paint their faces, this was then replaced with masks held on a stick. Today "the costumes have now evolved to ecstatic works of art made from crepe paper that is carefully glued to fabric, wood or cardboard. The outfits consist of dresses or skirts with a show-stopping headpiece to tie the whole outfit together." Junkanoo is the greatest Bahamian celebration, and is an important part of history. Bahamians believe Junkanoo to be "Soul of Bahamian Culture" and “the spirit of the Bahamas.”
Carnival in Trinidad and Tobago
Carnival in Trinidad and Tobago is an annual festival that is celebrated during the weeks leading up to lent. The celebration involves costumes, music, parties, dance, food, and drinks. "Traditionally, during Lent people had to abstain from any festivities and rich foods such as meat, alcohol, and fats; so they would use the preceding weeks to prepare by using up all the food they would not be able to eat and throwing lavish parties to make up for the coming period of austerity." The word carnival means "farewell to meat" or "farewell to flesh" The "farewell to meat" translation referencing the Catholic tradition of abstaining from meat from Ash Wednesday until Easter. The "farewell to flesh" definition "is said to be emblematic of the sensuous abandon that came to define the Caribbean celebration of the holiday."
Caribbean Carnival originated in Trinidad and Tobago in the late 18th century, when French colonists brought the tradition of the Fat Tuesday masquerade with them to the island. By the beginning of the 18th century free Blacks began to participate in the elaborate masquerade balls. Enslaved Blacks could not participate in the celebrations, instead they observed through windows until they holding celebrations of their own that included dancing, singing, costumes and mockery of the people who held the masquerade balls.
"With the end of slavery in 1834, the now completely free populace could outwardly celebrate their native culture and their emancipation through dress, music, and dancing. These three elements, dressing in masquerade, music, and dancing, remain central to Carnival celebrations" From Trinidad and Tobago Carnival spread to other islands like Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Martinique, Haiti, and the Cayman Islands.
Still the largest celebration is in Trinidad and Tobago.
"Carnival is welcoming to all, and at its core is about resistance in the form of joy, and reclaiming spaces. Carnival is a tradition that has survived through hardship, sacrifice, and defiance and will continue to be an important fixture in Caribbean identity and culture."
Juneteenth
On June 19, 1865 Union General Gordon Granger led thousands of federal troops to Galveston, Texas and read General Order No. 3 to the people of Galveston. It stated:
"The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired labor. The freedmen are advised to remain quietly at their present homes and work for wages. They are informed that they will not be allowed to collect at military posts and that they will not be supported in idleness either there or elsewhere."
Black Lives Matter
In 2013 Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors, and Opal Tometi founded the Black Lives Matter movement in response to the acquittal of Trayvon Martin’s murderer, George Zimmerman. "The movement aims to end systemic racism, gun violence, and police brutality against African Americans. And although it started in the United States, BLM has quickly gained traction around the world."
On February 26, 2012 Trayvon Martin was followed, shot, and killed by George Zimmerman. Trayvon Martin was 17yrs old. More than six weeks after the shooting George Zimmerman was arrested and tried for second degree murder. On July 13, 2013 George Zimmerman was acquitted of the charges of second degree murder and manslaughter. Trayvon Martin's death and George Zimmerman's acquittal gave rise to the Black Lives Matter movement, which soon became a national force. Trayvon Martin's mother Sybrina Fulton "felt heartened by the activists of all races who supported them during the trial" And When "All Lives Matter" critics pushed back Sybrina Fulton responded by saying "It's not taking away from anybody else's life... it's just putting emphasis on black lives because black lives seem so ... disposable."
On May 25, 2020 the world watched Minneapolis police officer Derrick Chauvin stand his knee on George Floyd's neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds. The death of George Floyd ignited Black Lives Matter protests all over the world, with over 20 million people attending Black Lives Matter or police brutality protest.
“Black Lives Matter is an ideological and political intervention in a world where Black lives are systemically and intentionally targeted for demise. It is an affirmation of Black folks’ humanity, our contributions to this society, and our resilience in the face of deadly oppression”
Barbecue
The true origins of barbecue are unknown. Several cultures have a history in cooking meat, fish, or other food over an open fire. The word barbecue is believed to come from the Spanish word "barbacoa." Barbecue also has roots in West Africa among the Hausa. The Hausa word “babbake” is used to describe grilling, toasting, building a large fire, and cooking food over a long period of time over that fire. Barbecue as we know it "took its first breath in the early 1500s, when enslaved Africans found inspiration in the local Native American cuisine. As Africans sought to preserve their autonomy in the face of extreme persecution, they developed a food culture unlike any other."
Enslaved Africans and Black pit masters have largely been erased from the history of modern American barbecue. "Like so many aspects of American culture — jazz, 'street style' and common slang — barbecue’s African roots are often erased while white Americans receive the credit." Highly spicing meats, use of peppery sauces or pepper vinegar, parboiling, wooden grills, long and slow cooking process, sauces that utilized tomatoes, onions, peppers and the like, "and the social context of barbecue—as a tool to promote social conviviality and community—hearken back to the culture’s African roots."
"Enslaved Africans and their descendants who became heir to multiple traditions and in turn incorporated those traditions into a standard repertoire known as Southern barbecue." Enslaved men became barbecues first master chefs, they passed down the traditions to their sons, and made barbecue an American staple. These men were the first pit masters. "After emancipation, many newly freed Africans celebrated with barbecue, thus solidifying it as a “freedom food.” Today, the celebratory nature of barbecue still exists in many Black communities, making it a quintessential part of most Juneteenth events."
Juke Joint
“Musically speaking, the Jook is the most important place in America. For in its smelly shoddy confines has been born the secular music known as the blues, and on blues has been founded jazz. The singing and playing in the true Negro style is called ʻjooking.ʼ” -Zora Neale Hurston
Juke joints are said to have originated on plantations as "private spaces" or rooms for socialization for Black people. "Since black sharecroppers and plantation workers were barred from white establishments, juke joints provided a space for these people to kick back after a long week of work." The word juke is said to come from West Africa, the Gullah Geechee word "joog" meaning "wicked" or "disorderly" In the Congo juke is used to describe a building without walls. Juke is also said to come from the word juice, which was often used to describe electric guitars. "Whatever the term’s origins, juke joints remain important spaces for blues musicians and audiences."
Juke joints could be found on the outskirts of towns. Juke joints are known for soul food, barbecue, fish fries, gambling, drinks, dancing, and live music. "Juke joints are never built; rather, they appropriate previous spaces" like abandoned buildings or houses. "The most influential aspect of juke joints was definitely the music. Some of America’s most popular music has its roots in the juke joints of the south." Ragtime, Blues, barrel house, and the slow drag all came out of juke joints in the South. While many juke joints have closed, some remain. Black owned bars still serve as a gathering place for Black people to come together, socialize, dance, drink, and unwind after a long day. Though many Black owned bars are struggling today more than ever. "41% of Black-owned businesses have shuttered since February, compared to 17% of White-owned businesses. What’s more, Black-owned restaurants in the New York City area have seen their revenue fall as much as 70% to 80% since the start of the pandemic." It is important that we continue to support Black owned bars and restaurants, just as they supported us when we needed.
Art
Dozens of teenage students on a school trip to the National Museum in Benin City, gather around a photo. The photo shows three white men sitting, metal relief sculptures scattered on the floor around the men. The tour guide asks the students "Does anyone know what this is?Those are artifacts you see, these men took them to London and then sold them for a very low price. You see how these men are smiling? They're proud of what they took from us."
The cultural context in which Black bodies are depicted in African art is unlike anything in the West. Because of this difference, and the belief that Western culture, and whiteness was better, African art was long considered primitive. Still, that didn't stop colonizers from looting and stealing precious artifacts. A man named Mwazulu Diyabanza has been working to reclaim African art from Western museums. He describes his visit to the Afrika Museum in the Netherlands, and seeing his grandfather's bracelet on display. He said “From generation to generation people are told about these objects. Being there, and seeing the bracelet, was extremely moving. I was emotional to see the wealth that belongs to me in other people’s hands, that was taken through violence and brutality and then put on display.”
Priceless pieces from the Kingdom of Benin on display at the British Museum in London, were taken after British troops stormed the ancient kingdom in 1897, and looted from shrines and palaces. One of the most popular pieces of art is the 3,500-year-old bust of Nefertiti. The Nefertiti Bust has been on display at the Neues Museum in Berlin since 1913. Egypt has demanded that the bust be returned home. German experts deny that the bust was taken illegally and have refused to return it. Many museums in America and Europe have been accused of performative activism, after releasing statements in solidarity with Black Lives Matter, but not addressing the looted African art in their museums.
“People first need to know what was taken from them. Then they will realize that this is not an elite discussion, but one that concerns them—their history, their heritage, their legacy.”
Africatown
Originally this post was going to cover three historic Black towns. There was so much information in each town, I had to give each town its own time.
In 1860 slavery was still legal, but the international slave trade hadn't been legal since 1808. This didn't stop Timothy Meaher from organizing the Clotilda voyage. In 1860 the Clotilda arrived in Alabama. On the ship were around 110 African adults, teenagers, and children all taken from Benin. After emancipation “the first thing they wanted to do was to go back home” but of course Meaher did not provide them with passage back to Africa, unable to pay for voyage back home they asked Meaher for a piece of his land, and he refused. So the group worked hard and bought land from Meaher, and built Africatown.
“They decided that if you won’t send us home, we’ll build Africa here in Alabama... Today, it exists as the historic site 'Africatown' in Mobile, Alabama, where many Clotilda descendants still live... I think that what this particular story is about is really the unity of the people who were on the ship,” Diouf says. “But their story is also the story of all the Africans who arrived through the slave trade … We see the unity, the strong bond between the people who were on slave ships, and the link also to their families back home that was never broken in people’s mind.”
Clotilda survivors never forgot about their homes, and longed to one day see their families again. When interviewed “They were saying that they knew that their families in Africa had been looking for them, and their wish was for the interviewers to give their African names, their original names, so that if the story could ever go to Africa, their families would know that they were still alive.”
“A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots.” - Marcus Garvey
Eatonville
Eatonville is the first all- Black town to incorporate in the United States. Incorporated in Florida, established in 1887 by former slaves, Eatonville was the childhood home of Zora Neale Hurston. In 1935 Zora Neale Hurston described Eatonville as “the city of five lakes, three croquet courts, 300 brown skins, 300 good swimmers, plenty guavas, two schools and no jailhouse.” Today the annual Zora Neale Hurston Festival also known as the ZORA! festival takes place in Eatonville, Florida. The ZORA! First presented in 1990, the ZORA! festival is a celebration of Zora Neale Hurston's birthday. The multi-day, multi-disciplinary, intergenerational event composed of public talks, conferences, movie screenings, arts education programming and more has become a place of pilgrimage. Artists like Alice Walker, Toni Morrison, and Ruby Dee have come to the ZORA! festival to celebrate the life and works of Zora Neale Hurston.
Eatonville got its start when a former slave named Joseph C. Clarke and a philanthropist from the North named Lewis Lawrence purchased over one hundred acres of land from a white man named Josiah Eaton. At the time there were very few white landowners that were willing to sell land to Black people. Josiah was one of the few, and they honored him by naming the town after him. "In August 1887, 27 African American men unanimously voted for the Town of Eatonville in Orange County, Florida, to incorporate, officially establishing the oldest all-black town in the United States."
"The founding of this town stands as an enormous achievement for once-enslaved black men and women throughout the United States. Having to live life being considered inferior to the white majority, African Americans finally found some autonomy and freedom for themselves in Eatonville."
Rosewood
Rosewood, Florida was initially settled by both Blacks and Whites. Then, Jim Crow laws fostered segregation in Rosewood, like most of the rest of the country. This caused many White families to move to the nearby town of Sumner. "By the 1920s, Rosewood’s population of about 200 was entirely made up of black citizens, except for one white family that ran the general store there." Rosewood was self sufficient with three churches, a school, two general stores, a sugarcane mill, turpentine mill, and a baseball team called the Rosewood Stars. "Survivors of Rosewood remember it as a happy place." One Survivor recalled "Rosewood was a town where everyone's house was painted. There were roses everywhere you walked. Lovely."
On New Year's Day in 1923 a white woman named Fannie Taylor was found screaming and covered in bruises. She claimed that a Black man broke into her house and beat her. Fannie Taylor’s husband, James Taylor organized a mob of angry White men, including members of Ku Klux Klan. The white mob went out searching for any Black man. One Black man named Jessie Hunter who had recently escaped from prison, was believed to be the assailant. In search for him “the town was entirely destroyed... and the residents were driven out permanently."
A Black woman named Sarah Carrier, whom everyone called Aunt Sarah, worked as the Taylor's laundress. Aunt Sarah often brought her granddaughter Philomena with her when she went to work for the Taylors. When Philomena and Aunt Sarah arrived at the Taylor's home they both saw a White man leave out the back door. This man is believed to be Fannie Taylor's lover, and the man that beat her. Unable to hide the bruises from her husband, she made up a lie to cover up the affair. It was reported that there were only 8 deaths (6 Black, 2 White) However, survivors reported seeing mass graves with over 27 Black bodies. No one was charged with the crimes committed against the Black residents of Rosewood. Due to fear the Rosewood massacre remained a secret for years, it is believed that survivors were afraid to talk because "Not knowing who you could trust and believing people with white skin could get back at you.”
The Great Migration
The Great Migration was a movement of over one million Black people migrated from the rural South to in search of more economic opportunities in the North. Between 1914- 1940 Black people moved from the South to large industrial cities like Chicago, New York, Detroit, Washington, D.C., New Orleans etc. "The Migration played an important role in the formation and expansion of African-American neighborhoods in these cities."
Due to segregation and poverty Black neighborhoods in the U.S. Black have been called "ghetto" or "the projects" but to those of us that are from these neighborhoods its "home" or Langston Hughes describes "The buildings in Harlem are brick and stone/And the streets are long and wide,/But Harlem’s much more than these alone,/Harlem is what’s inside." Major movements in art, literature, music, dance, style, fashion, activism, and culture have their roots in Black neighborhoods. Harlem, Compton, the SouthSide of Chicago and so many other neighborhoods are the epicenter of our culture.
Injera & Chill
Injera and Chill was created by the people behind Black Foodie. Injera and Chill celebrates Ethiopian and Eritrean food. "Injera is a sourdough-risen flatbread with a slightly spongy texture that every household in Ethiopia will have everyday." The main ingredient in Injera is teff flour. "Like a sourdough starter, the flour is mixed with water and allowed to ferment for several days which makes it have a mildly sour taste. After the fermentation and being mixed with wheat and millet, it is then ready to be baked into large, flat pancakes." In Ethiopia and Eritrea a variety of stews, salads, and vegetables are served on Injera. Small pieces of the Injera are torn off to pickup the stew for eating. “The injera under these stews soaks up the juices and flavors of the foods.”
In Ethiopia, eating Injera is a communal experience that is shared with family and friends. Pre Covid Black Foodie's Injera and Chill events were a way to hang out with friends, and meet new people. "We're trying to welcome people in and tasting the amazing food that comes from Ethiopia and Eritrea." You can find recipes to make Injera and other Ethiopian and Eritrean dishes online. I know we are all looking forward to reconnecting with family and friends, when quarantine is finally over. Hosting an Injera and Chill event might be a way to rebuild our community of family and friends, coming together for good times, good food, lots of laughs, and a sense of belonging.
Soul Food
The first plantation cooks were white indentured servants. "By the late 17th century, plantation homes throughout Virginia had turned to enslaved laborers, captured from central and western Africa, to grow crops, build structures and generally remain at the beck and call of white families. Before long these enslaved cooks took the roles that had once been occupied by white indentured servants." Enslaved cooks had to prepare several meals a day for the white family, they also had to prepare food for any visitors passing through the plantation. These visitors would often gush about how good the food was. The reputation of a well maintained kitchen was important to many Southern slave owners.
"These cooks knew their craft. Hercules, who cooked for George Washington, and James Hemings, an enslaved cook at Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello, were both formally trained, albeit in different styles. Hercules was taught by the well-known New York tavern keeper and culinary giant Samuel Frances, who mentored him in Philadelphia; Hemings traveled with Jefferson to Paris, where he learned French-style cooking. Hercules and Hemings were the nation’s first celebrity chefs, famous for their talents and skills." Soul Food is a mixture of African, Native American, and European cuisines.
While these big extravagant meals were served in the main house, enslaved Africans were given meager food rations, that were often lacking in nutritional value. Still, enslaved Africans found a way to preserve their cooking traditions, and incorporate them into the new recipes with the little resources and rations they had. "They created favorites like gumbo, an adaptation of a traditional West African stew; and jambalaya, a cousin of Jolof rice, a spicy, heavily seasoned rice dish with vegetables and meat. These dishes traveled with captured West Africans on slave ships, and into the kitchens of Virginia’s elite."
Today Soul Food is enjoyed in Black homes, and Soul Food restaurants all around the country. "Soul food has a rich and important history that ties Black culture to its African roots, and that history is deeply reflected in the staple recipes and techniques."
Oral Tradition
"Since the beginning of time, storytelling has been an important event in the African and African American communities. Through storytelling, questions were answered, history was conveyed, and lifelong lessons were taught and learned." Folklore has also been used by many elders to teach family, friends, and youth of our cultural and collective past. There are different names for storytellers. In West Africa, the most common is Griot. The Yoruba storyteller is called Akewi. The Xhosa storyteller is called Imbongi, and Maroka is the Hausa storyteller.
These storytellers preserve the traditions, genealogies, and historical narratives of their people. "These repositories of the past have the responsibility of preserving the principles and values of the people... Within their memory reside centuries of folktales, epics, myths, and legends passed on by way of oral tradition. It is in this spirit a scholar might remark, 'When an elder passes on, it is as if a library has burned.'"
Slavery not only forced Black people into labor and bondage, it kept them mentally enslaved as well. They were kept from practicing anything related to their cultural traditions. And were also kept from learning to read, or write. Keeping them from gaining any kind of knowledge was another form of control. Yet, our ancestors still managed to adapt the oral traditions to help them get through the harshness of slavery. "The field hollers, spirituals, and work songs they invented were designed to lighten the load of the task. They were also a means of telling stories, passing along news, plotting escapes, and releasing frustrations."
The early blues, spoken word poetry, song, literature, lecture, sermons, play, and sharing stories with family and friends has carried on our oral traditions. "For any one of us, the past is important in determining our identity and history, but without the determination and persistence of the first African Americans, it is likely that much of their story would have been lost to time. Thanks to their repeated sacrifices, African Americans can still look to their ancestors for guidance today."