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reasoningdaily · 1 year ago

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These 3 Black-Owned Record Labels Changed Music History

Black music is American music.

We generally understand this fact to be true—after all, Black people are innovators of sound and music—creating genres, like jazz, blues and hip-hop, which have influenced culture in our nation and the world. And while we often celebrate the artistry and ingenuity of Black music (which is absolutely worthy of the praise), much less frequently do we discuss the muscle behind the music. The business of music.

Historically, record labels have been instrumental in an artists’ success. To be frank, the labels are companies that sell their artists. At one point they were kingmakers. With the right amount of talent, labels could create celebrities overnight. The role of these companies has changed much as streaming is more and more prevalent. But, record labels still provide value to the artist and thus maintain their relevance in the industry.

During a time when white record labels would sign few, if any, Black artists, Black musical empires (the first emerging in the 1920s) highlighted Black talent—they provided Black artists with a platform. Black record labels bolstered the careers of Black musicians, but there were certainly times when they took advantage of their artists, too.

It’s Black Music Month, and ESSENCE we’re going to explore a handful of historic Black-owned record labels, the respective moguls behind them and their fate. Afterall, before there was Badboy or Roc-A-Fella Records, there was Swan Records.

Black Swan Records

With its slogan stating, "The Only Records Using Exclusively Negro Voices and Musicians," Black Swan Records was the first Black-owned record label in the United States.

Founded in 1921 by Harry H. Pace, a Black entrepreneur, attorney and activist; the founder’s story remains largely unknown. According to NPR, Pace’s mentor was W.E.B. DuBois, and upon graduation from college “Helped form the Atlanta chapter of the NAACP and served as its first president.”

Pace and his business partner, W.C. Handy moved to New York City, launching a company that published sheet music by Black artists. It was called Pace & Handy Music Co. Years later Harry Pace would go on to launch Black Swan Records. The label’s first ‘breakout’ record was “Down Home Blues,” by Ethel Waters, released in 1921. Quite notably, Pace also produced the first recording of "Lift Every Voice and Sing,” in 1923. The founder wanted to use his label as an opportunity to defy what the world understood about Black music, recording Broadway tunes and classical composers, as well.

Black Swan was only in existence for three years, but its story is still fascinating, nonetheless.

Motown Records

Motown Records is one of the best-known and highly regarded Black record labels in the United States.

Established by music mogul Berry Gordy in 1959 (Gordy first founded Tamla Records in January 1959, and would add the Motown label to his repertoire later that year), Motown Records is single handedly responsible for defining the sound of an era. If Black artists wanted to make it big during the 1960s and 1970s, then they had to go through Berry Gordy (though there was the rare exception to this rule, including Jimi Hendrix and Sly and the Family Stone). And Berry put the artists to work– in the studio and on tour. When the artists weren’t recording, they were likely in a finishing school, led by Maxine Powell, owner of the Maxine Powell Finishing and Modeling School. Gordy wanted his artists to have “mass appeal” (read: he wanted them to be more refined) and his tactics worked, as reflected in his record sales.

Motown is the label responsible for iconic Black songs, like “My Girl” by the Temptations, “What’s Going On” by Marvin Gaye and “I Want You Back” by the Jackson Five. Though Gordy sold Motown Records to the Music Corporation of America (MCA) in 1988 for $61 million, the label has forever changed the music industry.

If you’re not familiar with the term, “Hitsville U.S.A.,” then you don’t truly know Black music.

Sussex Records

Sussex Records was the brainchild of music executive Clarence Alexander Avant, who got his start in the industry managing artists. Founded in 1969 the record label was home to artists like Bill Withers, who sang the chart-topping hit, “Lean on Me.” Unfortunately, the company folded in 1975. Though Sussex records went under, Avant later launched one of the first Black-owned radio stations in the Los Angeles area (which also went under in the 1970s). The exec also founded Tabu Records in 1975, working with artists such as Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis.

Notably, Avant was also the subject of a 2019 Netflix documentary called “The Black Godfather.”

#These 3 Black-Owned Record Labels Changed Music History

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chrancecriber · 2 years ago

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Radio SunLounge Romania (March 12, 2023)

23:55 York - Be A Giant 23:50 Daytripper Feat. Patricia Chaviano - Until The Sunrise (Chillout Mix) 23:45 Paradise Airlines - Nassau Beach (Paradise Chillout Mix) 23:40 Max Melvin - Ease 23:34 Vincenzo - Summer Breeze 23:28 Esonic - Chilly Moments 23:21 Tactful - No Fear 23:18 Leftfield - A Final Hit 23:13 Duo Varial Feat. Enaïd - Fly Away 23:08 Blank & Jones - Beyond Time 23:01 Blank & Jones - Happiness (Franco De Mulero Main Mix) (With Cathy Battistessa) 23:01 Jingle - Radiosun.ro 22:56 Monodeluxe - One More Day 22:50 Cane Garden Quartet - Be In Love 22:44 Charlie North - Saltwater (Ambient Mix) 22:38 Christian Hornbostel Feat. Sarah Chris - Looking Back On Tomorrow 22:33 Paul Hardcastle - First Light 22:29 Catching Flies - Daymarks 22:26 Delicado - The Sound Of Fashion (Original Edit) 22:22 Mystic Diversions - Josephine (Album Version) 22:18 Fous De La Mer - Time To Wake Up (Volver A Despertar) 22:12 The Diventa Project - Bang Bang (Lazy Hammock Chillout Mix) 22:08 Pnfa - She Found Moments 22:05 Counting Clouds - Daylight 21:59 D. Batistatos - Empty Glass 21:56 D.batistatos - Summer Wind 21:52 Frame By Frame - Out Of Norway 21:50 Trebles And Blues - The Soulmate That Seldom Speak 21:45 Corcovado Frequency - Connect 21:38 Night And Day - Miracles Feat. Mirjam (Original Mix) 21:34 Soulavenue - Stuck In A Dream 21:30 Sonic Adventure Project - Haze 21:29 Jingle - Radiosun.ro 21:24 Debora Vilchez - The Words You Said (Smooth Vocal Flair Mix) 21:20 Minus 8 Feat. Sharon Harris - Pussycat 21:16 Massive Attack - Teardrop 21:13 C Cil - Calm & Quiet 21:08 Chris Reece - Island Of Love 21:03 Antonio Carlos Jobim - Brazil (Alternate Take) 20:59 Moodorama - Weird Love 20:53 Marc Hartman - Like The Sunset (Original Mix) 20:53 Jingle - Radiosun.ro 20:50 Mani Beats - N&n 20:44 Paul Hardcastle - Apache Warrior 20:39 Velvet Lounge Project - Someday (Nux Easygoing Remix) 20:34 Arrojas - Over The Past Year 20:30 Zenyatta - Too Good 20:26 Approaching Black - Back To Darkness 20:23 Duane Alpert - Cool Experience (Laurent Paradise Mix) 20:14 Leendder Feat. Chaz - Everytime You Cry (Satin Jackets Remix) 20:10 G-spliff - Won-'t Part 20:06 Bob Harz - Somebody Loves Me 20:02 Krall Bradley - Money Cant You Buy Love (Swing Orchestra Mix) 19:56 Aandra - You Are The Gold (Feat. Soul Sista Shakti) 19:56 Jingle - Radiosun.ro 19:51 Paul Hardcastle - Chillstep Echoes (Feat. Maxine Hardcastle) 19:45 Danny Hay - Night In (Original Mix) (Original Mix) 19:41 James Farrelli - Can't Get You Out Of My Head 19:36 Xemplify - Naughty Secret 19:32 Naomi - Another Bite Of The Apple 19:28 Paolo - Turn Me On 19:23 Ambient Lounge All Stars - Club L'amour 19:21 Aquilo - Put Me Down (Original Mix) 19:16 Samantha James - Tree Of Life 19:13 Il Greco - De Longpre 19:07 Spooky - Dub Addiction 19:03 Moca - Too Far Out 19:02 Jingle - Radiosun.ro 18:57 Lea Perry - Dubby Sunset Sky At Cafe Del Mar (Ibiza Beach Mix) 18:53 Naoki Kenji - Samishi 18:48 Lyn Leon - Tomorrow 18:43 S.w. - Within A Dream 18:43 Jingle - Radiosun.ro 18:40 Greenfinch - Sad Ballerina 18:34 Bonobo - The Keeper 18:29 Korsakow & Noel - Sweet Poison Of Your Love 18:23 Velvet Lounge Project - Why Should I Say No! (Flashbaxx Rmx) 18:18 Michael E - Promise 18:15 Myth Syzer - Bonbon A La Menthe Feat. Bonnie Banane (Stwo Remix) 18:10 Moondust - In Between Days (Feat. Querubyna) 18:06 Urban Phunk Society - De Janeiro 18:00 The Maxwell Implosion - The Upper Left Hand 17:55 Floor - Blue Sky (Original Mix) 17:48 Dido - Worthless 17:41 Astrid Suryanto - In A Distant Bar (Moonwatchers Remix) 17:40 Jingle - Radiosun.ro 17:36 Pascal Dubois - Sunbeams (Pure Light Cut) 17:32 Uppermost - Believe 17:28 Tafubar & Eskadet Feat. Airily - Paradise Reconquered (Original Mix) 17:24 Lemongrass - Mystery 17:20 Polymyth - Lost 17:15 Smooth Deluxe - My Sunny Day 17:10 Marga Sol - Goodbye 17:02 Tactful - No Fear 17:02 Jingle - Radiosun.ro 16:58 Stargazer - Eastend 16:53 Oscar Salguero - Let Me Be Close To You 16:49 Marga Sol - Tocca Me 16:43 Big Al - Pray For The Living 16:37 Spooky - Dub Addiction 16:34 Project 2000 - Belle Du Jour 16:29 Kuba - We Can Still Learn (Original Mix) 16:25 Alexandra Hampton Feat. Merge Of Equals - Beautiful (Original Mix) 16:24 Jingle - Radiosun.ro 16:19 Groovecatcher - Ultramarina (Original Mix) 16:14 Clelia Felix - A Moment Of Silence 16:11 Telepopmusik - Brighton Beach (Freddie Joachim Remix) 16:05 Afterlife, Calladine - Clear Blue Sky (Blank & Jones Remix) 16:05 Jingle - Radiosun.ro 15:59 Pacator - Tears (Marcielo Ambient Mix) 15:54 Stefano Mastronardi - It's Lounge Time 15:49 Cafe Americaine - Lamour (Loungematic Mix) 15:44 Black Mighty Orchestra - Ocean Beach (Cybophonia Cinematic Remix) 15:38 Soleil Fisher - Warm Winter (Sting Of Paradise Sunset Mix) 15:31 Ambitus - Answers 15:27 Pauline London - Love Can Sing 15:23 Beach Hoppers - Top Of The World 15:22 Jingle - Radiosun.ro 15:17 Mads Arp Feat. Julie Harrington - Alive 15:13 Therr Maitz - Found U (Riesso Remix) 15:08 Bernon - Don-'t Worry (Wellness For Your Soul Mix) 15:03 Afterlife - Like This 15:03 Jingle - Radiosun.ro 15:00 Myth Syzer - Bonbon A La Menthe Feat. Bonnie Banane (Stwo Remix) 14:54 Blank & Jones - Hideaway 14:49 Mo'horizons - Yes Baby Yes 14:44 Sky Sergeant - Music Connection (Dolphins Mix) 14:40 Blank & Jones Ft. Elles - Mind Of The Wonderful (Acoustic Version) 14:36 Papercut - Morning Blues 14:31 Riccardo Eberspacher - Malay 14:27 Catching Flies - Silver Linings 14:22 D. Batistatos - Jet Lagged Nights 14:18 Jane Maximova - Novel 14:13 Five Seasons - Smooth Workout 14:05 Eguana - Long Trip To Nowhere 13:59 Cinnamon Chasers - Set The Sky On Fire 13:54 Messiah Project - She Walks In Beauty Like The Night 13:49 Dub Mars - Always And Everywhere 13:44 Everything But The Girl - Single (Brad Wood Memphis Remix) 13:39 Charly Mclion - Beachday 13:33 Chimaera - Fly Away 13:30 Stj Feat. Liba - She Believe 13:24 Dj Maretimo - Blue Guitars Of Picasso (Lonely Beach Cut) 13:24 Jingle - Radiosun.ro 13:19 Dj Maretimo - Ocean Cruiser (Wavepatcher Cut) 13:13 Paul Hardcastle - Cloud Watching 13:08 D. Batistatos - Sunshine Velvet 13:03 Mind Into Mind - Ready To Fly (Instrumental) 12:59 The Funky Lowlives - You Have To Come With Me 12:55 Future Loop Foundation - I Love Her More In Summertime 12:50 Tracy Diamonds & Step Away - A Pain That I'm Used To (A Lounge Tribute To Depeche Mode) 12:46 Anthony Island - Turn Around 12:46 Jingle - Radiosun.ro 12:43 Saib. - Archipelago 12:38 Pascal Dubois - Suitcase To Berlin (Travellers Cut) 12:32 Christian Hornbostel - Away 12:27 Kraak & Smaak - Naked (Feat. Ivar & Berenice Van Leer) 12:22 Lo64n5 - Retrogram 12:18 Nox & Jab - High Expression 12:12 Eguana - Way To The House 12:07 Naoki Kenji - E-qualize 12:01 James Bright Feat Mathew Evans - Set Me Free 11:56 Afterlife - Still 11:52 Garden City Movement - My Only Love 11:48 Leftfield - Original 11:44 Beth Orton - Daybreaker 11:40 Blank & Jones - Heart Of Wax (Late Night Mix) 11:35 Collective Sound Members - Do It Like That 11:30 Naoki Kenji - Bedtime 11:24 Smooth Deluxe - Estoy Loco Por Ti (Ibiza Vs Miami) 11:19 Science For Girls With Renee Cologne - Violets 11:15 Dudley Perkins Feat. Jhelisa - Friendly Flowers (Simon S Special Blend) 11:10 Blank And Jones - Heart Of Wax (With Vanessa Daou) 11:07 Luigi Seviroli - Smoke & Mirrors 11:02 Soma Sonic - Could It Be Real 10:56 Cafe Americaine - Infrajam (Loungebar Mix) 10:51 Prana Tones - Asian Energy 10:50 Jingle - Radiosun.ro 10:47 Lemongrass - Lovely 10:42 Random Soul - I Live For The Moment (Feat Kristen Pearson) 10:37 Gary B - Love Rain Down 10:33 Opal Feat. Querubyna - Loving You 10:33 Jingle - Radiosun.ro 10:28 Jaytech Feat. Melody Gough - Blue Ocean (Original Mix) 10:25 Honour - Aradeo 10:20 Marga Sol - Midnight Flight (Original Mix) 10:16 Vienna Dc - Dope Control 10:16 Jingle - Radiosun.ro 10:09 The Man Behind C. - Como Aire Cristalino (Latin Mix) 10:05 Madita - Unspoken 09:55 Sonic Company - Alternative Road (Remix) 09:50 Paulo Sol - A Night On Beach (Instrumental) 09:45 Paul Hardcastle - First Light 09:41 Loretta Heywood - Butterfly 09:35 Blank & Jones - Barefoot On The Beach 09:30 Climatic - L'horizzonte 09:24 Michael E - Cry On My Shoulder 09:19 Mirage Of Deep - Ave Maria (Sights Of The Mediterranean) 09:13 Razoof Feat. Lady Alma - Jah Is Watching You 09:08 Lemongrass - Frozen Boy (Feat. Jane Maximova) 09:04 Giacomo Bondi & Gabrielle Chiararo - Don't Dream It's Over (Original Mix) 09:00 Jens Buchert - Fluffy Time 08:56 Bobby Hughes Combination - Olympic Girls 08:56 Jingle - Radiosun.ro 08:49 Morcheeba - Let Me See (Sonic Warrior ‘Beat’ Mix) 08:44 Adani & Wolf - The Moment (Original Mix) 08:40 Mousse T. Feat. Roachford - Pop Muzak (Ian Pooley Remix) 08:35 Edx - Falling Out Of Love (Lounge Mix) 08:35 Jingle - Radiosun.ro 08:29 Jean Mare - Everything (Original Mix) 08:24 Weathertunes - Happy Birthday (Feat. Wawa) (Original Mix) 08:18 Roger Sanchez - Another Chance (Afterlife Remix) 08:13 Van - Turkish Coffee (Original Mix) 08:08 Mario Basanov & Vidis Ft. Jazzu - I'll Be Gone (Extended Original Mix) 08:03 Faro - A Blue Kind Sphere 08:00 Tryst (Uk) - The Bay 07:57 Exhibitionist - Hands 07:57 Jingle - Radiosun.ro 07:52 Mercer & Gissal - Scandal (Feat. Nicole Grimaldi) 07:49 Fenomenon - Out Of Control 07:44 Jerome Noak Feat. Al Miller - You Got Me - Thomas Lemmer Chillout Remix 07:39 Afterlife - Dub In Ya Mind (Beachclub Mix) 07:36 Chamelodyon - Star Fruit Express 07:31 Living Room - Sundown 07:26 Hooverphonic - The World Is Mine (Eli Janney's Tight Remix (Edit)) 07:22 Roberto Sol - So Awesome (Cafe Del Mar Mix) 07:17 Riccardo Eberspacher - Sansiz Olamaz 07:12 Booper - Could Be Mine 07:09 Riccardo Eberspacher - Osiride 07:03 Max Denoise, Claire Willis - All I See (Original Mix) 06:58 D. Batistatos - Sunset At Noon 06:54 Hacienda - Be With Me 06:48 Leonardo Bertolotto - Doctor House (Original Mix) 06:43 Merge Of Equals - Take You There 06:38 351 Lake Shore Drive - Xtc 06:32 Max Denoise, Claire Willis - All I See (Original Mix) 06:28 Jane Maximova - Late In The Night 06:24 Le Garde - Wake Up Darling (Original Mix) 06:19 Sven Van Hees - Barracuda Staredown 06:09 Living Room - Maui Pie 06:04 Chicane Present - No Ordinary Morning (Original Mix) 06:00 Soro Sori - Starry Light (Vocal Dub Version) 05:55 Napalm - My Love (Tenderheart Remix) 05:51 Waldeck - So Black & Blue 05:46 Gary B - Step Into The Sunshine 05:44 Dj Cattail - Holiday Trip 05:40 Jazzamor - Lovin' You 05:38 Lostifi - Expedition 05:33 Carly Aurora - The Liar (Jepsen Downtempo Mix) 05:28 Mahoroba - Des Moments (Guitar Mix) 05:24 Jens Buchert - Jens Buchert 05:19 Lazy Hammock - Lost In Dreams 05:14 Steen Thottrup - Missing U (A Tribute To The Sun) (Original Mix) 05:14 Jingle - Radiosun.ro 05:11 Dreamhunter - Bring The Light 05:07 Hacienda - Sabor 05:02 Fjord - If I Was To Call 04:59 Eriq Johnson, Avo - So Many Miles Away (Original Mix) 04:53 Jeff Bennett's Lounge Experience Feat. Alexandra - Sympathy 04:48 Naoki Kenji - Under The Surface 04:43 Zzouro - Rescue Remedy 04:40 Shamika Cox - Te Quiero 04:36 Beacon - It Won-'t Be Long 04:32 Lounge Vargos - Feeling Love 04:27 Alien Cafe - Sacred Mountain 04:23 Dark Matters - Together Feat. Cathy Burton (Album Mix) 04:22 Jingle - Radiosun.ro 04:16 Magica Fe - Words 04:12 Left - Lovesong 04:07 Korte - Schwebende Gedanken 04:02 Lafoliedamour - You 03:58 Papercut - Morning Blues 03:53 Chillwalker - A Dream Comes True (Red Horizon Mix) 03:48 Lemongrass - Sunset People 03:43 Puch - Playground 03:38 Faro - Dreaming In Orange (Original Mix) (Original Mix) 03:33 Hooverphonic - The World Is Mine (Eli Janney's Tight Remix (Edit)) 03:29 Roberto Sol - Miles Beyond (Late Night Mix) 03:24 Mo'jardo - Summer Rain (Original Mix) 03:24 Jingle - Radiosun.ro 03:19 Pixiefish - Stars (Ocean Mix) 03:15 Ganga Feat. Sophie Tusnelda - Blue Heart 03:11 Merge Of Equals - Back To Where We Were 03:06 Soundset City - Get It On (Deep Lounge Mix) 03:00 Michael E - Shadows & Light (Original Mix) 01:53 Bent - Swollen 01:49 The Sonic Company - Unexpected Love (Original Mix) 01:44 Cafe Americaine - Solitude Charmante (Level One) 01:39 Pascal Dubois - Deep Into The Night (Long Island Mix) 01:33 Lux - Indica 01:29 Chapel Stile - Pretz (N. Cowley) 01:25 Flunk - Sugar Planet 01:20 Gushi & Raffunk - Sound Of You (Beat Ambasada Remix) 01:15 Electric Moonlight - Spirit Of The World 01:09 Dab - The Blues 01:05 Five Seasons - Sunshine And Sea 01:00 Yan C - A Night In Paradise 00:56 Baxx - For Time To Love You 00:49 Mirage Of Deep - Northern Lights 00:43 Didascalis - Together 00:37 Blank & Jones - Hideaway 00:33 Hacienda - Sabor 00:27 Cane Garden Quartet - Flying With No Wings 00:23 Ialaz - Waves (Original Mix) 00:17 Paul Moore - My Present 00:14 Cafe Americaine - Maritime (Caribic Flow Mix) 00:09 Roberto Sol & Chris Le Blanc Feat. Ines - Ahora 00:04 Sunyata Project - Inner Lights (Feat. Miyabi) 00:04 Jingle - Radiosun.ro

#Radio SunLounge Romania #Chillout #Lounge #Downtempo #Ambient #Trance #2023 #March 2023

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notladylikes · 2 years ago

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her heart is beating in her ears. blood pumping steadily through her veins, breath coming in nothing other than a series of pants. the muscles in her calves burn with the hot intensity of a thousand suns, but she can't stop.

no. stopping would get her killed, of that much she is certain.

maxine takes solace in the edge of the tree line coming into view. she's free, finally, she's made it this far. the sound behind her is not very far off - and she wonders if bursting through the threshold of the forest will keep it at bay, or if it will simply follow her.

swallow her up like she's nothing more than a gourmet meal.

a light shines through the trees, someone has come, someone will save her from this insanity that wracks her brains and causes her mind and body to push to their limits.

the sound of a beast hurdling through the canopy, causing limbs to snap and fall, the ground to shake - she doesn't know what the hell is following her, but it's mighty and it's mad. and it hungers.

it hungers for her blood, enticed by the drops that spilled onto the ground in her night time encounter with a sharp rock and a bit of a break in the forest floor. she'd tumbled into the leaves and leftover bark, and thus it was summoned.

just a little bit further, she whispers to nobody but herself. she's on the verge of collapsing but she must make it out of there. crashing into another body, the two hit the ground hard, knocking the wind out of maxie before she can realize what's going on.

the world fades to black around her, and she's out like a light.

#mus. maxine elise dubois.#drabble. maxine elise dubois.

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myadmiringmind · 2 years ago

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Cold Grounds|Fleur Delacour

Fleur Delacour Masterlist

Word Count: 2,136

Genre: Fluff | (kinda) Hurt/comfort | love confession | friends to lovers

Pairing: Fleur Delacour x Female!Reader

Summary: When you and Fleur visit Hogwarts for the Tri-Wizard tournament, feelings are revealed.

Warning(s): Anxiety, feelings of expectation.

Notes:

Reader is American and French

Reader attends Beauxbatons

Reader is Bilingual (French and English)

A lot of the information I used for Beauxbatons was found on “Hogwarts is Here” by Adelaide Dubois, the majority information is not canon

Key:

Normal means they’re speaking in French

Italic means they’re speaking in English

__________________

|PICTURES DO NOT BELONG TO ME|

It wasn’t a surprise that when you found Fleur she was surrounded by a group of people. Men and women admired and lusted for her, and you couldn’t help but share their feelings. But you could also say that your feelings stemmed from years of friendship.

Fleur's eyes lit up when they saw you. She descended quickly from the front steps of the Chateau that is Beauxbatons School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

“Darling, it has been too long since I've last heard from you! How was the rest of your break? You must tell me everything!” Fleur looped her arm through yours, practically dragging you up the stairs.

“Boring for the most part. My family wanted to try camping while we were with my cousins in America. It didn't go too well.” You shrugged

“Tell me you didn’t camp the muggle way.” Fleur scrunched up her nose in distaste.

Your smile was enough to tell her that her fears were correct.

“I do not understand why muggles would do that for fun. From what you wrote to me in your letter, muggle camping is very...cramped..” Fleur said

You shrugged, “It can be.” You turned to look at her better, “But there are some good parts too. Maybe i’ll take you some time.”

Her eyes shone, her smile pleasant, “I would like that.”

Before you could voice your surprise, one of Fleur's roommates ran up to us, “Fleur! We must hurry, Madame Maxine has said that there will be a big announcement after dinner!” She said

Fleur looked at you with curiosity shining in her eyes, “What do you think it is?”

You shrugged once again in response.

Fleur, motivated by this new found information, dragged you up through the Chateau doors into the welcoming hall. Her group of admirers following after silently.

She kept you on her arm the entire time.

—————————————-

You sat at Fleur's right hand side at one of the long banquet tables in the Grand Ballroom. Silently, trying to soak in the ambience since you were only to dine here for special occasions.

The tables looked especially beautiful, glimmering under the light and wonderful food being spread down the tables. Marble floors and glass chandeliers that illuminated the Baroque art on the ceilings.

Wooden nymphs danced around us while others chatted with the students.

The marvelous tables were only filled with appetizers and other light foods, as we waited for the first years to get back from their tour of the large grounds.

First years were to be sat among the three houses with the other first years, while all the other years could choose to sit wherever they wanted. But only for the first night. It is believed that this encourages first years to make friends with the people whom they will spend most of the year with.

Finally, the eleven year olds walked through the big doors. Many of them marveled at the sight of the Grand Ballroom. You smiled to yourself, remembering your first time seeing it.

Madame Maxine rose from the marble table littered with gold accents that sat her and the rest of the staff.

Everyone immediately went silent.

Madame Maxine stood to address the crowd, or more specifically the first years.

“Welcome! I am Madam Maxine, headmistress of Beauxbatons, the French school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Our school has housed and pampered many famous witches and wizards. Such as the magnificent Nicolas Flamel, inventor of the Sorcerers Stone.” The ballroom erupted in cheers.

After a few moments Madame Maxine lifted her hands to stop the applause, “I speak for all of my comrades and our students when I say that we hope you find the next seven years among us to be enlightening and gratifying as you all learn to take your place in our wizarding world!” More cheers erupted.

Madame Maxine took a good look at the first years before continuing her speech, “Now, don't be intimidated. For the sorting, each one of you will get an arrow with your name engraved into it. The bow is enchanted to make shooting your arrow, to be as swift as the flowing waters in our fountains.”

“Beauxbatons has three grand houses. Now your house is how we will split our great school into smaller, more manageable groups, but we greatly encourage you to make friends outside of your houses as well.” She paused, smiling at the older students before turning back to the first years. “The first house is Ombrelune. If you are to be placed in Ombrelune the arrow will erupt into the color blue. Ombrelune takes in people who are ambitious and logical.” She took a step forward, “The second house is called Papillonlisse, if you are meant for this great house your arrow will explode into a cloud of purple. Papillonlisse houses students who are mature and kind, and typically have some sort of artistic ability.” Our headmaster took a deep breath before finishing her speech, “Finally, is the house of Bellefeuille. This house is represented by the color green. This part of our school houses those who are brave and loyal. Whatever house you are placed in will be an honor. So if you do not get the house you are hoping for, know that you will still grow into the person who you are meant to be.”

The great ballroom erupted into loud cheers. Madame Maxine looked very pleased at the enthusiasm from her students.

“And one last thing, if you are colorblind, you mustn’t worry, just look on the side of the bow for the name of your house.” She waited another moment for another round of cheers.

“Now let us watch as the next generation of Beauxbatons is placed amongst our great school!” Madame Maxine shouted over the cheers.

She reached for a delicate looking pillow, laying atop was the bow all students used to sort them into their house. With a wave of her hand a magnificent chest appeared. The lock held the Beauxbatons coat of arms and the chest was made from oak wood with gold accents and diamonds and other jewels decorating it. With another wave of the headmistress's hand the chest opened revealing an overwhelming amount of arrows.

Madame Maxine reached her hand inside and picked out an arrow. She looked on the side of the arrow to read the name engraved into it.

“Eléonore Blanchard!” The tall woman bellowed out.

Everyone waited a few moments before a dark skinned girl with curly hair emerged from the crowd and walked timidly up to Madame Maxine.

The headmistress walked closer to Eléonore and patted her shoulder encouragingly, before placing the bow and arrow into the young girl's hands. The headmistress walked back over to the chest of arrows and waited patiently.

Eléonore took a breath, raised the arrow, and let it fly.

The arrow burst purple.

The students of Papillonlisse cheered for their new member.

The wood nymphs danced around Eléonore and guided her towards the table that was magically glowing purple.

She looked relieved to finally be sat down.

Madame Maxine clapped politely, then pulled out another arrow from the chest that was floating midair so that she didn’t have to bend to reach.

She examined the arrow, “Antoinette Laine!”

A girl with light red hair and fair skin scurried excitedly up to Madame Maxine.

She took the bow and arrow with confidence.

The arrow burst green.

“Bellefeuille!” Madame Maxine clapped politely.

The red head danced with the nymphs as they led her towards the table that glowed green.

When Antoinette sat, she looked over at Eléonore and grinned, waving excitedly. Eléonore smiled in return.

————————-

After the sorting was over, the students looked expectantly at their headmistress, wondering what the secret news was.

Madame Maxine looked at her students and smiled, “I'm sure you have heard from your guardians or friends that this school year will be different from the rest. I am pleased to tell you that this year Beauxbatons will compete in the Triwizard Tournament.”

The students all turned to the students next to them beginning to talk In confused whispers.

“I am sure that the majority of you are curious as to what that is...” Madame Maxine proceeded to explain the triwizard tournament.

Many students were on the edge of their seats, clearly interested in the Triwizard tournament. Fleur was one of them, you quickly noticed.

However, when the age limit was announced many of these students deflated.

Fleur turned to you quickly, her eyes shining in excitement. You knew she was going to enter, and that made your stomach twist.

——————————

Fleur ranted about the tournament all throughout dinner. You didn’t comment, but tried to offer encouraging smiles.

Once dinner was over, Fleur kissed you swiftly on both cheeks before rushing out. A group of girls followed after her.

You took that as your time to leave and go back to your dorm. Hoping to sleep off everything.

———————

Months had passed, finally you were on your way to Hogwarts. One of the other schools that Beauxbatons would be competing against. Hogwarts was to be your “home away from” for the majority of the rest of the school year.

Fleur was shaking with excitement as you walked out of the enchanted carriage.

She grabbed your hand and grinned at you.

Maybe this tournament wouldn’t be so bad.

—————————

The second task was tomorrow. You were anxious and you weren’t even competing. Fleur insisted that she was ready but you could tell she was anxious as well.

So, you did the first thing you thought of. A walk by the Black Lake. This is where the next task would be held. You thought that maybe, seeing it before would help ease the nerves.

You were kicking yourself now.

Fleur took a good look at the lake. She turned to you, looking like she wanted to say something, then turned back towards the lake.

“What is it Fleur?” You asked patiently.

“I-Well…” You had been helping her with her English since the tournament was announced. “I’m worried I won’t perform well…”

“You’ll do good. I’ve seen you studying, practicing, working hard to represent Beauxbatons in the way it deserves.” You answered

“But what if my best isn’t great…” she mumbled, but you heard

“Your best will always be good enough, Fleur. To the people that truly care about you, it will always be good enough.” You took her hand in both of yours, urging her to believe you.

She looked at you assessingly. Finally, she whispered, “If I place..last-tomorrow, will you still care for me?” You were shocked by the question.

“Of course, Fleur, of course!” You tried to hide the fact you were a little hurt she thought you wouldn’t.

“Everyone expects me to place. I mean Hogwarts has a fourteen year old competing along with their of age student. I need to be great.” She said

“You’re a very intelligent woman, Fleur. With a heart of diamonds and a personality to match it. No matter how you perform during this tournament, that will not change.”

She looked at you for a few moments before leaning in. The hand that was not in yours caressed your cheek. She looked at you with such intensity you shivered.

“Promise me. Promise me that if I do not do well in this tournament, you will still be my friend.” She whispered, the raw emotion of fear and vulnerability in her voice as her she begged in her mother tongue.

“I promise.” You breathed out, completely consumed by the energy that is Fleur Delacour.

Her breath hitched, and she cast a glimpse at your lips, “I never really liked the cold you know.” She muttered, “I had imagined us next to Flamels fountain, not these..cold grounds. But I simply cannot wait any longer.”

You looked at her lips, your eyes so pathetically begging her to kiss you, you wouldn’t breath, you couldn’t breath, until she kissed you.

Fleur took in a breath, “Let me kiss you.” She said in a mixture of begging and demand.

You nodded softly, and she complied.

She was an excellent kisser, no surprise there. She used both of her hands to caress your face, keeping you close.

You moved your hands from your lap, one going to Fleur's face to brush away the locks of her hair, and the other going to her waist.

She pulled back after what felt like a long time, and looked at you with eyes full of love, and..

You realized with a start she had tears in her eyes.

You cupped her cheek in panic, “What is it?” You begged

“I think…I love you..” She said

Your stomach erupted with butterflies.

“I love you too, Fleur. So much!” You said in a hurry

She could only stare at you with happiness and love in her eyes.

Who knew your love would bloom on cold grounds.

------------

edited on 05/13/2024

edited on 6/17/2024

edited on 7/24/2024

edited on 10/07/2024

#fleur delacour x reader #Fleur Delacour fluff #fleur delacour x fem!reader #fleur delacour x you #fleur delacour fanfic

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oldtvlover · 2 years ago

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Tonight we were Stranded from 1986! Right after Riptide ended, so to speak. Cast: Loni Anderson - Stacy Tweed Perry King - Nick MacKenzie Elaine Stritch - Maxine Joel Brooks - Phil William Hickey - Mr. Pierson Janet DuBois - Bettina and many more

Story: Two former advertising partners are now arch-rivals at two different companies, yet they still meet each other in the same building. Stacy Tweed can't let go of the past whenever she sees Nick MacKenzie, her former partner and lover. A new campaign for a cosmetic lipstick, made by Mr. Pierson who loves competition, brings the two together - on a plane, island, balloon and later then stranded on an island, Tahiti. At first, the sparks flow of who's better and all, yet after some time they fell slowly in love with each other again - and some serious struggle with food, building a house and a thunderstorm. Well, Stacy and Nick come together again whereas Stacy then discovers they are on a holiday island where tourists are. After returning to New York, there are some changes and Nick and Stacy form an agency again.

I find it hilarious that Mr. King's character is named "Nick" right after the Riptide ended. Too funny!

NOTE: We take a step back here before it goes forward again. Just to let you know!

#stranded #tv movie #1986 #perry king #loni anderson #elaine stritch #joel brooks #william hickey #janet dubois #advertising #arch-rivals #lovers #competition

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of-foolish-and-wise · 5 years ago

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mega-list of book recommendations

saw a mega-list of literary recommendations going around recently and was struck by the dearth of titles by poc, so i made a list of just poc titles to course-correct. keep in mind that i can only in good faith recommend what i’ve read, so i’m sure i’ve absolutely missed some integral titles. drop me an inbox message if you have more recs, i’m always open

canonical

the narrative of frederick douglass - frederick douglass

incidents in the life of a slave girl - harriet jacobs

the souls of black folk - w.e.b. dubois

montage of a dream deferred - langston hughes

cane - jean toomer

their eyes were watching god - zora neale hurston

the bean eaters - gwendolyn brooks

a raisin in the sun - lorraine hansberry

invisible man - ralph ellison

native son - richard wright

the autobiography of malcolm x - malcolm x

the fire next time - james baldwin

sister outsider: essays and speeches - audre lorde

things fall apart - chinua achebe

the garden of forking paths - jorge luis borges

one hundred years of solitude - gabriel garcia marquez

the color purple - alice walker

the woman warrior - maxine hong kingston

satanic verses - salman rushdie

beloved - toni morrison

sula - toni morrison

the house on mango street - sandra cisneros

the joy luck club - amy tan

DAMN. - kendrick lamar

plays

a tempest - aime cesaire

for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf - ntozake shange

fences - august wilson

dutchman - amiri baraka

the american play - suzan-lori parks

memoir

the light of the world - elizabeth alexander

how we fight for our lives - saeed jones

between the world and me - ta-nehisi coates

persepolis - marjane satrapi

men we reaped - jesmyn ward

heavy - kiese laymon

black boy - richard wright

the yellow house - sarah m broom

brothers and keepers - john edgar wideman

zami: a new spelling of my name - audre lorde

poetry

american sonnet for my past and future assassin - terrance hayes

the tradition - jericho brown

night sky with exit wounds - ocean vuong

citizen: an american lyric - claudia rankine

twenty love poems and a song of despair - pablo neruda

don’t call us dead - danez smith

eye level - jenny xie

life on mars - tracy k smith

a fortune for your disaster - hanif abdurraqib

postcolonial love poem - natalie diaz

i can’t talk about the trees without the blood - tiana clark

i wore my blackest hair - carlina duan

an american sunrise - joy harjo

oculus - sally wen mao

short stories

her body & other stories - carmen maria machado

interpreter of maladies - jhumpa lahiri

exhalation - ted chiang

ficciones - jorge louis borges

what is not yours is not yours - helen oyeyemi

sour heart - jenny zhang

essays

how to write an autobiographical novel: essays - alexander chee

trick mirror - jia tolentino

bad feminist - roxane gay

they can’t kill us until they kill us - hanif abdurraqib

we were eight years in power: an american tragedy - ta-nehisi coates

borderlands/la frontera: the new mestiza - gloria anzaldua

this bridge called my back: writings by radical women of color - ed. cherrie moraga and gloria anzaldua

white girls - hilton als

non-fiction

the new jim crow: mass incarceration in the era of colorblindness - michelle alexander

stamped from the beginning: the definitive history of racist ideas in america - ibram x kendi

bunk: the rise of hoaxes, humbug, plagiarists, phonies, post-facts, and fake news - kevin young

an alchemy of race and rights - patricia j williams

looking for lorraine: the radiant and radical life of lorraine hansberry - imani perry

the next billion users: digital life beyond the west - payal arora

fiction

passing - nella larson

caucasia - danzy senna

trust exercise - susan choi

on earth we’re briefly gorgeous - ocean vuong

corregidora - gayl jones

the fifth season - nk jemisin

the brief wondrous life of oscar wao - junot diaz

the round house - louise erdrich

there, there - tommy orange

little fires everywhere - celeste ng

the supervisor - viet than nguyen

kindred - octavia butler

the known world - edward p jones

the underground railroad - colson whitehead

the god of small things - arundhati roy

the vegetarian - han king

theory

playing in the dark: whiteness and the literary imagination - toni morrison

black skin, white masks - frantz fanon

mama’s baby, papa’s maybe: an american grammar book - hortense spillers

discourse on colonialism - aime cesaire

scenes of subjection - saidiya hartman

the signifyin(g) monkey - henry louis gates jr

pedagogy of the oppressed - paulo freire

feminist theory: from margin to center - bell hooks

black noise: rap music and black culture in contemporary america - tricia rose

decolonizing the mind: the politics of language in african literature - ngũgĩ wa thiong’o

black marxism: the making of the black radical tradition - cedric robinson

black feminist thought: knowledge, consciousness, and the politics of empowerment - patricia hill collins

black and blur (consent not to be a single thing) - fred moten

young adult

diary of a part-time indian - sherman alexei

the hate u give - angie thomas

emergency contact - mary hk choi

i am not your perfect mexican daughter - erika sanchez

poet x - elizabeth avecedo

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edgewaterhq · 4 years ago

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The Flower Festival, a well-known staple in the small town of Edgewater. Every year, on the last weekend in September, botanist enthusiast from all around the state come to show off their prized flowers. They are displayed on the street for the community’s viewing pleasure and to be purchased. Other booths are also erected for community bonding as well as to raise money for charity.

All flowers used for games and fun are provided for by The Secret Garden, so be sure to send them your love.

There will be a parade, arches and just about any flowery creation that comes to mind.

Entertainment will be provided for grown-ups and the littles alike. There will be drinks, food, and music while children can play in the decorated town’s center under the watchful eye of their parents. There is, of course, the Sweetheart Booth where you can leave an anonymous (or not!) request for a flower bouquet arrangement to be sent to your sweetheart or potential sweetheart.

We will also be posting a fun little gift and surprise for all members in the group the night before the event begins!

This event will take place September 25th-27th in game time. However, it will run for a week (September 25th-Octorber 1st) so that threads can be fully played out.

We are excited and hope everyone will have fun! :)

THINGS TO DO –

Leave an anonymous flower bouquet that would be delivered to the person requested.

Take a date to the hay bale maze - a screening of 'Casablanca’ will be had after sunset in the center (bring your own blanket).

If your character is a business owner, have them have a booth at the Festival to represent their business. Bar owners would have drinks and food, jewelry maker would have displays of their work etc.toy & kink wear would have their tamer options on display (crops, collars, etc).

Volunteer to take a shift on the booths - all the money would go to charity so participation from any and all is encouraged (send an ask to the main to reserve a spot for your character):

Kissing Booth -

1st shift - Sam Melrose & Theo

2nd shift - Elektra Warren & Stassi

Dunking Tank -

1st shift - Thomas Corbyn & Maxine Whitehall

2nd shift - Roger Gentry & Greyson Halliwell

Flower Crown Making Station-

1st shift - River Martin & Klaus Martel

2nd shift - Avery Sterling & Jasper Sterling

Face Painting Booth -

1st shift - Ruben Ruiz & Jason Campbell

2nd shift - Emerald Harrison & Christopher Arden

Fortune Telling Booth -

1st shift - Roxanne Dubois & Tex Heartland

2nd shift - Kita Pai

NIGHT EVENTS

Outlaw Karaoke Night - As the town is filling with people, the Outlaw holds a customary Karaoke night. Drinks are two for one for everybody wearing a flower crown.

#edgewaterevent #edgewaterevent02 #smut rp #city rp #town rp

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gg-pontos · 4 years ago

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𝓬𝓸𝓷𝓽𝓪𝓰𝓮𝓶 𝓭𝓮 𝓹𝓸𝓷𝓽𝓸𝓼 𝓼𝓮𝓶𝓪𝓷𝓪𝓵

Abaixo podem ser encontradas as pontuações dos personagens e seus respectivos players, correspondente à semana dos dias 27/07 a 02/08. Não se esqueça de checar a nossa página de pontos para relembrar as regras, prêmios e desvantagens. Qualquer divergência da realidade, favor contatar a central e será retificado!

Maxine Bourbon @maxinevaloisbourbon: 281 pontos + 85 pontos = 366 PONTOS

Geneviève d’Harcourt @evreuxdharcourt: 245 pontos + 58 pontos = 303 PONTOS

Chloé Beauchamp @ambitchiiious: 263 pontos + 15 pontos = 278 PONTOS

Jeremiah Vorontsov @crazybastard-j: 239 pontos + 15 pontos = 254 PONTOS

Isabelle Stuyvesant @isabzlle: 200 pontos + 20 pontos = 220 PONTOS

Clémentine Agreste @clemantim: 189 pontos + 40 pontos = 229 PONTOS

Penélope Pendragon @not-inthebox: 176 pontos + 25 pontos = 201 PONTOS

Valentin Terrazas-Sulzbach @vclentinho: 140 pontos + 40 pontos = 180 PONTOS

Choi Jun Ho @schoijunvho: 142 pontos + 15 pontos = 157 PONTOS

Cédric Martin @fuckauthorityy: 106 pontos + 45 pontos = 151 PONTOS

Wolfgang Mateschitz @bigbadwclff: 125 pontos + 41 pontos = 166 PONTOS

Atlas Fernsby @vtls: 140 pontos + 25 pontos = 165 PONTOS

Faheera Al Hosseinzadeh @ohfaheera: 135 pontos + 15 pontos = 150 PONTOS

Holly Cotillard @hollvcrap: 135 pontos + 5 pontos = 140 PONTOS

Astra Fernsby @lunaferam: 125 PONTOS

Angélique Min @dontcallmin: 99 pontos + 15 pontos = 114 PONTOS

Benjamin Beauffort @benjaminfrdrc: 85 pontos + 5 pontos = 90 PONTOS

Manon Bourgeois @bourgeoisafadah: 70 PONTOS && Lorenzo Muñoz @cnzomunoz: 65 pontos + 5 pontos = 70 PONTOS

Serena Ferrari @shtngstar: 55 PONTOS

Thomas Grey @tommvs: 50 PONTOS.

Leonardo Odescalchi @leonzrdo: 30 PONTOS.

Margot Dubois @mcrgotdubois: 20 PONTOS.

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aletdownsquid · 5 years ago

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Comprehensive Exam Readings

My research “question”:

Many writers of U.S. fiction insert nonfiction documents into their narratives to critique how marginalized citizens are excluded from their rights to equal protection granted by the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. I’m interested in how African American authors and other writers of color have employed these strategies since the end of World War II; for example, the inclusion of real warrants for runaway slaves in Colson Whitehead’s The Underground Railroad, or passages from U.S. treaties with Native American tribes featured in Watershed by Percival Everrett. In the essay, I will identify, historicize, and examine some of these conventions, and drawing upon Assemblage Theory and Third Space theory, explore how these subversions of the fiction genre might allow authors of color to highlight historical truths, erase some of the distance between literary and political realms, and possibly affect political change.

To be completed by September 2020. (note: Strikethrough is complete / Bold means I intend to cite them in my comprehensive exam)

U.S. Fiction (Post ‘45): Major List

Guiding Questions:

How do works of geopolitical American fiction since the end of WWII explore the ways in which American exceptionalism has subjugated people of color? Specifically, how do these works examine the ways American colonial rule define U.S.–indigenous relations; and how do these works continue to engage with race in America since the Civil Rights movement?

Adichie, Chimamanda Ngozi. Americanah. Anchor, 2014.

Akwaeke, Emezi. Freshwater. Grove, 2018.

Alvarez, Julia. How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents. Algonquin, 2010.

Aswany, Alaa Al. Chicago. Harper, 2008

Baldwin, James. Giovanni’s Room. Vintage, 2013.

Barthleme, Donald. “Concerning the Bodyguard,” Sixty Stories. Penguin, 2003.

Beatty, Paul. The White Boy Shuffle. Picador, 2001.

Chabon, Michael. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay. Random House, 2012.

Cisneros, Sandra. The House on Mango Street. Vintage, 1991.

Clemmons, Zinzi. What We Lose. Viking, 2017.

Currie Jr., Ron. God is Dead: Stories. Penguin, 2008.

Diaz, Junot. The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. Riverhead, 2006.

Egan, Jennifer. A Visit from the Goon Squad. Anchor, 2010.

Ellison, Ralph. Invisible Man. Vintage, 1995.

Everett, Percival. Watershed. Beacon Press, 2003.

Gay, Roxane. Ayiti. Grove Press, 2018.

Gibson, William. Pattern Recognition. Berkley, 2005.

Greene, Graham. The Quiet American. Penguin, 1980.

Habila, Helon. Travelers. W.W. Norton & Company, 2019.

Hagedorn, Jessica. Dogeaters. Pantheon, 1990.

Hamid, Mohsin. The Reluctant Fundamentalist. Harvest, 2008.

Herrera, Yuri. Signs Preceding the End of the World. And Other Stories, 2015.

James, Marlon. A Brief History of Seven Killings. Riverhead, 2015.

Jarrar, Randa. A Map of Home. Other Press, 2008.

Jen, Gish. Typical American. Harcourt, 2014.

Johnson, Adam. The Orphan Master’s Son. Random House, 2013.

Johnson, Mat. Pym. Spiegel & Grau, 2011.

Kaulfus, Ken. A Disorder Peculiar to the Country. Harper Perennial, 2006.

Kingston, Maxine Hong. The Woman Warrior. Vintage, 1989.

Kushner, Rachel. The Strange Case of Rachel K. New Directions, 2016.

Lahiri, Jhumpa. Interpreter of Maladies: Stories. Mariner, 1999.

Lapcharoensap, Rattawut. Sightseeing: Stories. Grove Press, 2005.

Le Nam. The Boat: Stories. Vintage, 2009.

Lee, Chang-rae. Native Speaker. Riverhead Books, 1996.

Luiselli, Valeria. The Story of My Teeth. Coffee House Press, 2015.

Mathews, John Joseph. Sundown. University of Oklahoma Press, 1988.

Mbue, Imbolo. Behold the Dreamers. Random House, 2017.

Mengetsu, Dinaw. How to Read the Air. Riverhead, 2011.

Momaday, N. Scott. House Made of Dawn. Harper Perennial Modern Classics, 2010.

Ng, Celeste. Everything I Never Told You. Penguin Books, 2015.

Nguyen, Viet Thanh. The Sympathizer. Grove Press, 2015.

Nguyen, Viet Thanh. The Refugees: Stories. Grove Press, 2018.

Okada, John. No-No Boy. University of Washington Press, 2014.

Orange, Tommy. There There. Vintage, 2018.

Otsuka, Julie. The Buddha in the Attic. Anchor, 2012.

Ozeki, Ruth. A Tale for the Time Being. Penguin Books, 2013.

Packer, ZZ. Drinking Coffee Elsewhere: Stories. Riverhead, 2004.

Pena, Daniel. Bang. Arte Publico, 2018.

Reed, Ishmael. Japanese by Spring. Scribner, 1993.

Reed, Ishmael. Mumbo Jumbo. Scribner, 1972.

Rekdal, Paisley. Intimate: An American Family Photo Album. Tupelo Press, 2012.

Salesses, Matthew. The Hundred-Year Flood. Little A, 2015.

Sebald, W.G. The Emigrants. New Directions, 2016.

Shamsie, Kamila. Burnt Shadows. Picador, 2009.

Silko, Leslie Marmon. Ceremony. Penguin Books, 2006.

Washington, Bryan. Lot: Stories. Riverhead, 2019.

Williams, John Alfred. The Man Who Cried I Am. Harry N. Abrams, 2004.

Wright, Richard. Native Son.Harper Perennial Modern Classics, 2005.

Vonnegut, Kurt. Slaughterhouse Five. Dial Press, 1999.

Vonnegut, Kurt. Breakfast of Champions. Dial Press, 1999.

African-American Iconoclast Fictions: Minor List

Guiding Questions:

What methods do African-American fiction writers use to interrogate racial subjugation for people of color in the United States and across the Global South?

Adjei-Brenyah, Nana Kwame. Friday Black. Mariner Books, 2018

Baldwin, James. Go Tell it On the Mountain. Everyman’s Library, 2016.

Baldwin, James. “Sonny’s Blues.” Going to Meet the Man. Vintage, 1995.

Beatty, Paul. The Sellout. Picador, 2016.

Bell, Derrick. “Space Traders”

Brooks, Gwendolyn. Maud Martha. Third World Press, 1992.

Butler, Octavia. Dawn. Aspect, 1997.

Butler, Octavia. Kindred. Beacon Press, 2009.

Cole, Teju. Open City. Random House, 2012.

DuBois, W.E.B., “On Being Crazy.”

Dumas, Henry. Goodbye Sweetwater.

Ellis, Trey. Platitudes. Vintage, 1988.

Everett, Percival. Erasure. Graywolf Press, 2001.

Gaines, Ernest J. A Lesson Before Dying. Knopf, 1993.

Hannaham, James. Delicious Foods. Back Bay Books, 2016.

Hopkinson, Nalo. Falling in Love with Hominids: Stories. Tachyon Publications, 2015.

Hopkinson, Nalo. Midnight Robber. Grand Central Publishing, 2000.

Hughes, Langston. “One Friday Morning”

Hughes, Langston. “Salvation.”

Hurston, Zora Neale. “Sweat”

James, Marlon. The Book of Night Women. Riverhead, 2010.

Jones, Edward P. The Known World. Amistad, 2006.

Keene, John. Counternarratives: Stories and Novella. New Directions, 2015.

Kincaid, Jamaica. “Girl”

Larsen, Nella. The Complete Fiction of Nella Larsen: Passing, Quicksand and The Stories. Anchor, 2001.

Laymon, Kiese. Long Division. Agate Bolden, 2013.

Mackey, Nathaniel. Late Arcade. New Directions, 2017.

MacPherson, James Alan. Hue and Cry: Short Stories. Harper Collins, 1969.

McFarland, Jeni. The House of Deep Water. Putnam, 2020.

Miller, Keith D., Joyce Lausch and Kevin Everod Quashie. New Bones: Contemporary Black Writers in America. Prentice Hall, 2001.

Morrison, Toni. Beloved. Vintage, 2004.

Morrison, Toni. Jazz. Vintage, 2004.

Morrison, Toni. Paradise. Vintage, 2004.

Reed, Ishmael. Flight to Canada. Penguin, 1976.

Ross, Fran. Oreo. New Directions, 2015.

Scott, Rion Amilcar. The World Doesn’t Require You: Stories. Liverlight, 2018.

Senna, Danzy. New People. Riverhead, 2017.

Shuyler, George. Black No More. Penguin Classics, 2018.

Thompson-Spires, Nafissa. Heads of Colored People: Stories. 37 Ink, 2018.

Toomer, Jean. Cane. W.W. Norton & Company, 1988.

Toure. The Portable Promise Land. Back Bay Books, 2003.

Whitehead, Colson. Sag Harbor. Anchor, 2010.

Whitehead, Colson. The Underground Railroad. Doubleday, 2016.

Widerman, John Edgar. American Histories: Stories. Scribner, 2018.

Wideman, John Edgar. Phildelphia Fire. Vintage, 1991

Wideman, John Edgar. Fanon. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2008.

Theory: Assemblage & Third Space Theory

Guiding Questions:

Can fiction be used as a tool to engender a new sense of belonging while rejecting a stable state of being? If so, how can this framework of assemblage be applied in fiction to highlight the ways local identities intersect with shared global perspectives? Can an assemblage approach to fiction encourage accountability for civil rights without state sanctioned legal status?

Agamben, G., 1998. Homo Sacer: Sovereign Power and Bare Life. Translated by D. Heller-Roazen. Stanford, California: Stanford University Press.

Anzaldua, Gloria. Borderlands / La Frontera: The New Mestiza. Aunt Lute Books, 2012.

Anzaldua, Gloria. Light in the Dark/Luz en lo Oscuro: Rewriting Identity, Spirituality, Reality (Latin America Otherwise). Duke University Press Books, 2015.

Appiah, Kwame Anthony. “The Case for Contamination." The New York Times Jan. 2006. 5 Nov. 2012. http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/01/magazine/01cosmopolitan.html

Bakshi, Sandeep, Jivraj Suhraiya and Silvia Posocco. Decolonizing Sexualities: Transnational Perspectives, Critical Interventions. Counterpress, 2016.

Belletto, Steven and Joseph Keith. Neocolonial Fictions of the Global Cold War, University of Iowa Press, 2019.

Bhabha, Homi K. Nation and Narration. Routledge, 1990.

Bruynell, Kevin. Third Space of Sovereignty. University Of Minnesota Press, 2007.

DeLanda, Manuel. Assemblage Theory. Edinburgh University Press, 2016.

DeLanda, Manuel. A New Philosophy of Society: Assemblage Theory and Social Complexity. Continuum, 2006.

Dubey, Madhu. Signs and Cities: Black Literary Postmodernism. University of Chicago Press, 2003.

Fanon, Frantz. The Wretched of the Earth. Grove Press, 2005.

Gates, Henry Louis. The Signifying Monkey. Oxford University Press, 1988.

Gwaltney, John Langston. Drylongso: A Self-Portrait of Black America. The New Press, 1993.

Goyal, Yogita. The Cambridge Companion to Transnational American Literature. Cambridge University Press, 2017.

Goyal, Yogita. Romance, Diaspora, and Black Atlantic Literature. Cambridge University Press, 2015.

Goyal, Yogita. Runaway Genres: The Global Afterlives of Slavery. NYU Press, 2019.

Knadler, Stephen. Remapping Citizenship and the Nation in African Literature. Routledge, 2010.

Lorde, Audre. Zami: A New Spelling of My Name: A Biomythology. The Crossing Press, 1982.

Lorde, Audre. Sister Outsider. The Crossing Press, 1984.

Machado, Carmen Maria. In the Dream House: A Memoir. Graywolf, 2019.

Madsen, Deborah L. Beyond Borders: American Literature and Post-Colonial Theory. Pluto Press, 2008.

Munoz, Jose Estaban, Disidentifications: Queers of Color and the Performance of Politics. University of Minnesota, 1999.

Okker, Patricia. Transnationalism and American Serial Fiction. Routledge, 2012.

Omi, Michael and Howard Winant. Racial Formation in the United States from the 1960s to the 1990s. Routledge, 1994.

Puar, Jasbir. “I would rather be a cyborg than a goddess: Becoming intersectional in Assemblage Theory.” philoSOPHIA, vol. 2, no. 1, 2012, pp. 49-66.

Puar, Jasbir. The Right to Maim. Duke University Press, 2017.

Puar, Jasbir. Terrorist Assemblages. Duke University Press Books, 2007.

Rosen, Jeremy. “Literary Fiction and the Genres of Genre Fiction.” Post45, Aug. 2018. http://post45.research.yale.edu/2018/08/literary-fiction-and-the-genres-of-genre-fiction/

Rutherford, Johnathan. "The Third Space Interview with Homi Bhabha." Identity: Community, Culture, Difference, Lawrence and Wishart, 1990, pp. 207-221.

Said, Edward W. Culture and Imperialism. Vintage, 1994.

Scott, James C. Weapons of the Weak. Yale University Press, 1987.

Shackleton, Mark. Diasporic Literature and Theory – Where Now? Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2008.

Shamsie, Kamila. “The Storytellers of the Empire.” Guernica, Feb. 2012. <http://www.guernicamag.com/features/3458/shamsie��>

Sharpe, Christina. In the Wake On Blackness and Being. Duke University Press. 2016

Shklovsky, Viktor. “Art, as a Device.”

Soja, Edward. Thirdspaces: Journeys to Los Angeles and Other-Real-and-Imagined Places. Blackwell Publishers, 1996.

#compslist #Readings #CurrentlyReading

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kumkaniudaku · 6 years ago

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Our Thing

Happy Valentine’s Day, guys. Here’s one of the two things I plan on writing. I consider all of you my Valentine’s since I never have one, so here’s something before the clock strikes 12.

Work Count: 2k

Warnings: Not yet proofread

“I don’t think this is a good idea.”

“What? Of course, it’s a good idea! I’m the king of good ideas!”

Voices bounced off of the walls of the Brooklyn apartment building as Chad and CoCo walked side by side to the apartment at the end of the hallway.

The snow lining the sidewalks outside were typical of mid-February, giving Tasha more of a reason to stay inside on the cold Friday. But her friend insisted she leave the dark cocoon she had created for herself in her apartment just across the water in New Jersey.

Valentine’s Day was the designated time of the year to celebrate love. Chadwick had a reason to celebrate, but CoCo could no longer say the same. After months of turmoil and emotional abuse, she was a single woman again and dreading the mere thought of loving someone else. So, she planned to avoid all mentions of love and relationships for the foreseeable future. Even if that meant neglecting tradition.

“Look, Chad, we can celebrate on the 15th! This feels so...weird.”

“We celebrate Valentine’s Day together every year. We can’t skip out this year.”

“I feel like having a girlfriend is the perfect reason to miss a year,” CoCo deadpanned as they reached their intended destination. She could practically feel the excitement buzzing from the other side of the door in the form of Toni Braxton’s greatest hits so far, and started to feel bad for the woman she’d come face to face with for the first time.

“Why miss a year when we can celebrate together? And you get to meet my lady for the first time. It’ll be fun.”

“Fun my ass,” Tasha mumbled into the thick scarf around her neck, earning a look from Chadwick.

“Wanna share that with the class, Miss Greene?”

“Knock on the damn door!”

A muffled feminine voice announced that she was gearing up to answer the door adding to the uneasiness in the pit of CoCo’s belly. She knew that if she was on the other side of this encounter, seeing a woman with her boyfriend on date night would insight a riot.

When the door opened to reveal the woman she only knew as Jay, she was more than shocked at what met her. Jay was beautiful. Her slim figure came with a few curves to compliment her height. She was graceful beyond compare and impeccably dressed, making Tasha feel incredibly bland in comparison.

“Hi, baby,” Jay sang as she wrapped her arms around Chadwick and went in for a kiss. If Tasha had rolled her eyes any harder, they would’ve fallen from her skull and rolled all the way back to New Jersey to beat her home. Catching wind of another presence, Jay offered a courteous smile.

“Oh, hi! Did he forget to give you a tip downstairs?”

“A tip,” CoCo asked, obviously offended and a bit confused.

“A tip for the cab ride. I know it was hell driving in this snow. Just let me grab my purse.”

Chadwick could see Tasha’s struggle to maintain her composure, her mouth opening and closing with words she couldn’t produce.

“You know what? I’m going home. Call me to let me know you got back to your place safely.”

“No, wait,” he exclaimed before grabbing Tasha’s elbow and pulling her back to her original spot despite her struggle to pull away. Noticing the commotion, Jay turned back to Chadwick and Tasha with her brows quirked in confusion.

“Am I missing something.”

“Nope. I’ll just take my tip and be on my w-”

“Jay, this is my best friend Tasha that I’ve been telling you about. Co, this is Jayme Dubois, my girlfriend.”

A brief and unpleasant stare off preceded a chipper energy shift as Jayme went in for a hug. “CoCo, how are you! I have heard so much about you.”

“Yeah well, don’t believe any of it,” CoCo forced out between fake laughter while she made faces at Chadwick over Jayme’s shoulder.

“I’ll keep that in mind. So, what brings you over? Do you have a date in this complex? I always knew white boy Rick liked Black women.”

“Actually, Muffin, I was thinking she could spend Valentine’s Day with us. It’s been tradition for us to spend the holiday together and we don’t wanna break it.”

“So you want Tasia -”

“It’s Tasha,” CoCo interrupted in the most obnoxious tone she could muster.

“Right...Tasha. You want Tasha to spend Valentine’s Day with us? Tonight? Even though this is a couple’s holiday? Couple as in two, mind you.”

“Yes, Jay. It would really mean a lot to me.”

Jayme looked between a visibly annoyed Tasha and the pleading eyes of her boyfriend before letting go of a long sigh and stepping aside to usher her companions for the night inside.

Tasha took in her surroundings and quietly marveled. Though small because what seemed to be standard in New York, Jayme’s dwelling was equal parts colorful and classic. Had she not started the interaction on such a bad note, Tasha would’ve complimented her on the statement couch that matched her ornate rug, but she kept it to herself out of spite.

“So since we have one more, what are our plans for the night, honey bear?”

Chadwick caught the slight scrunch in CoCo’s face and ignored it to refrain from explaining the embarrassing nickname. “Well, we can still go see Definitely, Maybe like you wanted, but instead of dinner in the park, Tasha got us a reservation at this really nice Italian spot in the city.”

“I called in a favor from work. It was no big deal.”

Jayme disregarded CoCo’s smile as she took a sip from her water bottle and sat on the arm of the chair Chadwick occupied. Her hands rubbed patronizing circles around his shoulders and back, forcing Tasha to look away to save the awkward moment.

“Well, it seems like you too already have this figured out, so I’ll just grab my coat. Do you have any more suggestions, CoCo?”

“Nooope.” Tasha sang the word through gritted teeth forced into a smile. Chadwick gave her a sympathetic look before helping Jayme into her coat and ushering each woman safely out of the building.

Tasha remained the front wheel of the tricycle, preferring to stay in front of the couple to refrain from looking like the unwanted third party. With every audible kiss and nauseatingly affectionate gesture, CoCo felt her heart tighten. It wasn’t seeing Chadwick with another woman that had her fighting back tears in the theatre. She needed the sight to push her feelings for him to the furthest corner of her mind. It was the pain of knowing that she had just detached from one of the worst situations in her life, yet wanted to be with him to cure the loneliness she felt.

If she had it her way, she’d cry it out until the work week resumed on Monday in the comfort of her own home, but continued to engage in the conversation when the moment presented itself to appease Chadwick.

In a restaurant full of couples, Jayme, Chadwick, and Tasha were the only threesome in the center of the establishment. Nervous energy characterized the silence left behind when Chadwick excused himself to the restroom, leaving the women in his life to avoid eye contact.

Relief came in the form of a stout waiter visiting the table to collect dinner orders. Without realizing that the order would be incomplete without the third member of the group, the women ordered traditional dishes and wine for the table.

“And the young man? What will he have?”

“Oh! Ummm, I’m not sure,” Jayme responded as she fumbled through the menu. “Maybe you could come back in a few minutes?”

“He’ll have the Parmigiana w/ Pasta, but please be light on the sauce. He gets heartburn from all the tomatoes.”

The waiter took heed of Tasha’s warning before walking away, leaving Jayme to burn a hole in the top of Tasha’s head while she sorted through emails on her cell phone.

“How long did you say you and Chadwick have been friends?”

“Since Fall 1996. So coming up on 13 years,” Tasha answered, looking up to find an indecipherable look on Jayme’s face. “What’s wrong?”

“I just - you know him so well. His favorite candy, where he likes to sit in the theatre, what he eats at certain restaurants. I don’t know if I can keep up.”

The process of finding the right words to assure Jayme, Chadwick returned to the table and unknowingly ended the conversation before it could truly begin.

“Never in my life did I think I’d have to stand in line to use the men’s restroom. I applaud y’all for doing that,” he complained as he took his seat. “Has the waiter come back for orders yet?”

“He did actually. Tasha got you Parmigiana w/ Pasta.” Jayme secretly hoped that Chadwick would reject the choice and ask for a second go at the ordering process. She was met with the complete opposite.

“Hell yeah!” His fist met Tasha’s across the table in his childlike excitement. “I love that shit.”

“Language, honey bear.”

“Sorry, Muffin.”

“Wow,” Tasha whispered to herself, unaware that the others around the table could hear her.

“Did you want to say something, Tasha?”

“Noooope.”

The table fell silent to give way to the idle chatter in the area around them. Chadwick looked between his girlfriend and best friend trying to find a way to get them to interact with each other cordially.

“So, Co, Jayme has been trying to get into basketball lately.”

“Oh really.” Tasha was clearly uninterested as she continued to read emails on her phone from weeks ago. A subtle kick underneath her table made her look up and noticed Chadwick’s non-verbal urging for her to at least pretend to care. “Which team are you interested in, Jayme?”

“I really like the Nets! Trenton Hassell to be exact.”

“Do you? Because he averages less than two points a game. There’s not much to like.”

“Trenton is your friend’s boyfriend right, Jay?”

“Does it matter now? Tasha basically called him a bad player.”

“Not bad, per se. He’s terrible. That’s a better adjective.”

“Oh-kay,” Chadwick interjected to end the escalating conversation. “Jay, how’s work at the fashion house going?”

“Ugh, it is amazing! We got some new pieces last night and they are beautiful. Maybe you could come browse one day, Tasha. Style can always use an update.”

“I consider myself more Maxine than Regine. Thanks though. I’m sure the pieces are nice.”

Tasha successfully contained her laughter at Jayme’s expression, feeling her first surge of happiness for the day.

Chadwick felt helpless as the night continued and each attempt at joining two of his favorite women ended in a snarky comment or shady look. Dinner provided a welcome activity that didn’t require group conversation, giving him the opportunity to cater to each woman. The longer they sat and contemplated grabbing cheesecake inside the restaurant or settling for ice cream on the way home, the more he could feel Jayme disconnecting.

“Muffin, do you want the strawberry cheesecake for here or to go,” he asked as she slid her coat from the back of her chair and collected her purse.

“Actually, I don’t feel so well, honey bear. I’m gonna head home.”

“What? So soon? We didn’t even get to dessert.”

Tasha watched Jayme put on her best “sick” face and gagged internally at Chadwick falling for the charade. Jayme was far from physically sick. If she was feeling anything, it was annoyance at the fact that her boyfriend’s best friend had spent the most romantic night of the year taking the attention from her.

“Well, let me walk you outside and wait for the cab to come.”

“Thank you, honey bear.” Jayme accepted Chadwick’s help into her coat, purposely ignoring Tasha until the last second. “Good night, Tasha. Maybe we’ll see each other for another occasion. Hopefully in a less...crowded environment.”

Tasha released a short chuckle before plastering on a fake smile, “Right. I’ll pencil you into my calendar.”

Jayme offered another fake smile and nod before leading the way out of the restaurant into the Brooklyn streets.

“I’ll pencil you in and the erase that shit. Fuck her.”

Time started to drag as she sat at the table alone, looking more foolish with three plates crowding her space than playing seat warmer for the world’s cutest couple. A glance out of the window gave her access to the tail end of Jayme’s departure. Her inability to peel her eyes away from the private moment showed her two things: Chadwick was far more interested in Jayme than she was in him, and she was clearly upset despite the kiss and hug she provided before disappearing into the backseat of her taxi.

Moments later, Chadwick took the seat directly across from Tasha and sighed.

“Go ahead. Tell me that you told me so.”

“I’m not gonna say that friend,” Tasha smiled. “All I’ll say is you’re gonna need one of these cheesecakes to go because mama is PISSED.”

“You think so?”

“Oh, I know so. But, I’m here to help with gift ideas to make up for this dumbass idea. And I ordered us dessert.”

Chadwick’s ear perked at the sound of a sugar rush to end a night full of terrible decisions. “Did you get the cookie thing with the-”

“The vanilla bean ice cream on top? C’mon now! You know me!” Without hesitation, the pair completed their signature handshake before sitting back in their seats. “Sorry for ruining your date, Aaron. I’ll pay the tab as a peace offering.”

“Eh, don’t worry about it. I’ll make it up to her. You know there’s a reason she calls me honey bear.”

“Gross. Please, don’t finish that sentence. And what the fuck is Muffin? Are you a white TV dad now?”

Chadwick’s deep belly laugh at CoCo’s expense continued until their shared dessert was placed between them. Instructing Tasha to pick up her spoon, Chadwick began a pseudo-toast.

“To another Valentine’s Day spend together and many more to come!”

Their spoons clinked together in solidarity before the argument of who would get which portion of the cookie began, ending the most romantic day of the year the only way they knew how: together.

_______________

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