#african pride oil | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

kemetic-dreams · 1 year ago

Text

Land taken from African Americans through trickery, violence and murder

For generations, African American families passed down the tales in uneasy whispers: "They stole our land."

These were family secrets shared after the children fell asleep, after neighbors turned down the lamps -- old stories locked in fear and shame.

Some of those whispered bits of oral history, it turns out, are true.

In an 18-month investigation, The Associated Press documented a pattern in which African Americans were cheated out of their land or driven from it through intimidation, violence and even murder.

In some cases, government officials approved the land takings; in others, they took part in them. The earliest occurred before the Civil War; others are being litigated today.

Some of the land taken from African families has become a country club in Virginia, oil fields in Mississippi, a major-league baseball spring training facility in Florida.

The United States has a long history of bitter, often violent land disputes, from claim jumping in the gold fields to range wars in the old West to broken treaties with American Indians. Poor European landowners, too, were sometimes treated unfairly, pressured to sell out at rock-bottom prices by railroads and lumber and mining companies.

The fate of African American landowners has been an overlooked part of this story.

The AP -- in an investigation that included interviews with more than 1,000 people and the examination of tens of thousands of public records in county courthouses and state and federal archives -- documented 107 land takings in 13 Southern and border states.

In those cases alone, 406 African American landowners lost more than 24,000 acres of farm and timber land plus 85 smaller properties, including stores and city lots. Today, virtually all of this property, valued at tens of millions of dollars, is owned by Europeans or by corporations.

Properties taken from Africans were often small -- a 40-acre farm, a general store, a modest house. But the losses were devastating to families struggling to overcome the legacy of slavery. In the agrarian South, landownership was the ladder to respect and prosperity -- the means to building economic security and passing wealth on to the next generation. When African American families lost their land, they lost all of this.

"When they steal your land, they steal your future," said Stephanie Hagans, 40, of Atlanta, who has been researching how her great-grandmother, Ablow Weddington Stewart, lost 35 acres in Matthews, N.C. A European lawyer foreclosed on Stewart in 1942 after he refused to allow her to finish paying off a $540 debt, witnesses told the AP.

"How different would our lives be," Hagans asked, "if we'd had the opportunities, the pride that land brings?"

No one knows how many African American families have been unfairly stripped of their land, but there are indications of extensive loss.

Besides the 107 cases the AP documented, reporters found evidence of scores of other land takings that could not be fully verified because of gaps or inconsistencies in the public record. Thousands of additional reports of land takings from African American families remain uninvestigated.

Two thousand have been collected in recent years by the Penn Center on St. Helena Island, S.C., an educational institution established for freed slaves during the Civil War. The Land Loss Prevention Project, a group of lawyers in Durham, N.C., who represent blacks in land disputes, said it receives new reports daily. And Heather Gray of the Federation of Southern Cooperatives in Atlanta said her organization has "file cabinets full of complaints."

AP's findings "are just the tip of one of the biggest crimes of this country's history," said Ray Winbush, director of Fisk University's Institute of Race Relations.

Some examples of land takings documented by the AP:

After midnight on Oct. 4, 1908, 50 hooded European men surrounded the home of a African farmer in Hickman, Ky., and ordered him to come out for a whipping. When David Walker refused and shot at them instead, the mob poured coal oil on his house and set it afire, according to contemporary newspaper accounts. Pleading for mercy, Walker ran out the front door, followed by four screaming children and his wife, carrying a baby in her arms. The mob shot them all, wounding three children and killing the others. Walker's oldest son never escaped the burning house. No one was ever charged with the killings, and the surviving children were deprived of the farm their father died defending. Land records show that Walker's 2 1/2-acre farm was simply folded into the property of a white neighbor. The neighbor soon sold it to another man, whose daughter owns the undeveloped land today.In the 1950s and 1960s, a Chevrolet dealer in Holmes County, Miss., acquired hundreds of acres from African American farmers by foreclosing on small loans for farm equipment and pickup trucks. Norman Weathersby, then the only dealer in the area, required the farmers to put up their land as security for the loans, county residents who dealt with him said. And the equipment he sold them, they said, often broke down shortly thereafter. Weathersby's friend, William E. Strider, ran the local Farmers Home Administration -- the credit lifeline for many Southern farmers. Area residents, including Erma Russell, 81, said Strider, now dead, was often slow in releasing farm operating loans to Africans. When cash-poor farmers missed payments owed to Weathersby, he took their land. The AP documented eight cases in which Weathersby acquired African-owned farms this way. When he died in 1973, he left more than 700 acres of this land to his family, according to estate papers, deeds and court records.In 1964, the state of Alabama sued Lemon Williams and Lawrence Hudson, claiming the cousins had no right to two 40-acre farms their family had worked in Sweet Water, Ala., for nearly a century. The land, officials contended, belonged to the state. Circuit Judge Emmett F. Hildreth urged the state to drop its suit, declaring it would result in "a severe injustice." But when the state refused, saying it wanted income from timber on the land, the judge ruled against the family. Today, the land lies empty; the state recently opened some of it to logging. The state's internal memos and letters on the case are peppered with references to the family's race.

In the same courthouse where the case was heard, the AP located deeds and tax records documenting that the family had owned the land since an ancestor bought the property on Jan. 3, 1874. Surviving records also show the family paid property taxes on the farms from the mid-1950s until the land was taken.

AP reporters tracked the land cases by reviewing deeds, mortgages, tax records, estate papers, court proceedings, surveyor maps, oil and gas leases, marriage records, census listings, birth records, death certificates and Freedmen's Bureau archives. Additional documents, including FBI files and Farmers Home Administration records, were obtained through the Freedom of Information Act.

The AP interviewed black families that lost land, as well as lawyers, title searchers, historians, appraisers, genealogists, surveyors, land activists, and local, state and federal officials.

The AP also talked to current owners of the land, nearly all of whom acquired the properties years after the land takings occurred. Most said they knew little about the history of their land. When told about it, most expressed regret.

Weathersby's son, John, 62, who now runs the dealership in Indianola, Miss., said he had little direct knowledge about his father's business affairs. However, he said he was sure his father never would have sold defective vehicles and that he always treated people fairly.

Alabama Gov. Don Siegelman examined the state's files on the Sweet Water case after an inquiry from the AP. He said he found them "disturbing" and has asked the state attorney general to review the matter.

"What I have asked the attorney general to do," he said, "is look not only at the letter of the law but at what is fair and right."

The land takings are part of a larger picture -- a 91-year decline in African American landownership in America.

In 1910, African Americans owned more farmland than at any time before or since -- at least 15 million acres. Nearly all of it was in the South, largely in Mississippi, Alabama and the Carolinas, according to the U.S. Agricultural Census. Today, Africans own only 1.1 million of the country's more than 1 billion acres of arable land. They are part owners of another 1.07 million acres.

The number of European American farmers has declined over the last century, too, as economic trends have concentrated land in fewer, often corporate, hands. However, African American ownership has declined 2 1/2 times faster than white ownership, the U.S. Civil Rights Commission noted in a 1982 report, the last comprehensive federal study on the trend.

The decline in African American landownership had a number of causes, including the discriminatory lending practices of the Farmers Home Administration and the migration of Africans from the rural South to industrial centers in the North and West.

However, the land takings also contributed. In the decades between Reconstruction and the civil rights struggle, black families were powerless to prevent them, said Stuart E. Tolnay, a University of Washington sociologist and co-author of a book on lynchings. In an era when African Americans could not drink from the same water fountains as European and African men were lynched for whistling at white women, few Africans dared to challenge Europeans. Those who did could rarely find lawyers to take their cases or judges who would give them a fair hearing.

The Rev. Isaac Simmons was an exception. When his land was taken, he found a lawyer and tried to fight back.

In 1942, his 141-acre farm in Amite County, Miss., was sold for nonpayment of taxes, property records show. The farm, for which his father had paid $302 in 1887, was bought by a European man for $180.

Only partial, tattered tax records for the period exist today in the county courthouse; but they are enough to show that tax payments on at least part of the property were current when the land was taken.

Simmons hired a lawyer in February 1944 and filed suit to get his land back. On March 26, a group of Europeans paid Simmons a visit.

The minister's daughter, Laura Lee Houston, now 74, recently recalled her terror as she stood with her month-old baby in her arms and watched the men drag Simmons away. "I screamed and hollered so loud," she said. "They came toward me and I ran down in the woods."

The Europeans then grabbed Simmons' son, Eldridge, from his house and drove the two men to a lonely road.

"Two of them kept beating me," Eldridge Simmons later told the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. "They kept telling me that my father and I were 'smart niggers' for going to see a lawyer."

Simmons, who has since died, said his captors gave him 10 days to leave town and told his father to start running. Later that day, the minister's body turned up with three gunshot wounds in the back, The McComb Enterprise newspaper reported at the time.

Today, the Simmons land -- thick with timber and used for hunting -- is privately owned and is assessed at $33,660. (Officials assess property for tax purposes, and the valuation is usually less than its market value.)

Over the past 20 years, a handful of African families have sued to regain their ancestral lands. State courts, however, have dismissed their cases on grounds that statutes of limitations had expired.

A group of attorneys led by Harvard University law professor Charles J. Ogletree has been making inquries recently about land takings. The group has announced its intention to file a national class-action lawsuit in pursuit of reparations for slavery and racial discrimination. However, some legal experts say redress for many land takings may not be possible unless laws are changed.

As the acres slipped away, so did treasured pieces of family history -- cabins crafted by a grandfather's hand, family graves in shaded groves.

But "the home place" meant more than just that. Many Africans have found it "very difficult to transfer wealth from one generation to the next," because they had trouble holding onto land, said Paula Giddings, a history professor at Duke University.

The Espy family in Vero Beach, Fla., lost its heritage in 1942, when the U.S. government seized its land through eminent domain to build an airfield. Government agencies frequently take land this way for public purposes under rules that require fair compensation for the owners.

In Vero Beach, however, the Navy appraised the Espys' 147 acres, which included a 30-acre fruit grove, two houses and 40 house lots, at $8,000, according to court records. The Espys sued, and an all-white jury awarded them $13,000. That amounted to one-sixth of the price per acre that the Navy paid European neighbors for similar land with fewer improvements, records show.

After World War II, the Navy gave the airfield to the city of Vero Beach. Ignoring the Espys' plea to buy back their land, the city sold part of it, at $1,500 an acre, to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1965 as a spring training facility.

In 1999, the former Navy land, with parts of Dodgertown and a municipal airport, was assessed at $6.19 million. Sixty percent of that land once belonged to the Espys. The team sold its property to Indian River County for $10 million in August, according to Craig Callan, a Dodgers official.

The true extent of land takings from African families will never be known because of gaps in property and tax records in many rural Southern counties. The AP found crumbling tax records, deed books with pages torn from them, file folders with documents missing, and records that had been crudely altered.

In Jackson Parish, La., 40 years of moldy, gnawed tax and mortgage records were piled in a cellar behind a roll of Christmas lights and a wooden reindeer. In Yazoo County, Miss., volumes of tax and deed records filled a classroom in an abandoned school, the papers coated with white dust from a falling ceiling. The AP retrieved dozens of documents that custodians said were earmarked for shredders or landfills.

The AP also found that about a third of the county courthouses in Southern and border states have burned -- some more than once -- since the Civil War. Some of the fires were deliberately set.

On the night of Sept. 10, 1932, for example, 15 Europeans torched the courthouse in Paulding, Miss., where property records for the eastern half of Jasper County, then predominantly African, were stored. Records for the predominantly white western half of the county were safe in another courthouse miles away.

The door to the Paulding courthouse's safe, which protected the records, had been locked the night before, the Jasper County News reported at the time. The next morning, the safe was found open, most of the records reduced to ashes.

Suddenly, it was unclear who owned a big piece of eastern Jasper County.

Even before the courthouse fire, landownership in Jasper County was contentious. According to historical accounts, the Ku Klux Klan, resentful that African were buying and profiting from land, had been attacking African-owned farms, burning houses, lynching African farmers and chasing African American landowners away.

The Masonite Corp., a wood products company, was one of the largest landowners in the area. Because most of the land records had been destroyed, the company went to court in December 1937 to clear its title. Masonite believed it owned 9,581 acres and said in court papers that it had been unable to locate anyone with a rival claim to the land.

A month later, the court ruled the company had clear title to the land, which has since yielded millions of dollars in natural gas, timber and oil, according to state records.

From the few property records that remain, the AP was able to document that at least 204.5 of those acres had been acquired by Masonite after African American owners were driven off by the Klan. At least 850,000 barrels of oil have been pumped from this property, according to state oil and gas board records and figures from the Petroleum Technology Transfer Council, an industry group.

Today, the land is owned by International Paper Corp., which acquired Masonite in 1988. Jenny Boardman, a company spokeswoman, said International Paper had been unaware of the "tragic" history of the land and was concerned about AP's findings.

"This is probably part of a much larger, public debate about whether there should be restitution for people who have been harmed in the past," she said. "And by virtue of the fact that we now own these lands, we should be part of that discussion."

Even when Southern courthouses remained standing, mistrust and fear of white authority long kept Africans away from record rooms, where documents often were segregated into "white" and "colored." Many elderly Africans say they still remember how they were snubbed by court clerks, spat upon and even struck.

Today, however, fear and shame have given way to pride. Interest in genealogy among African families is surging, and some African whispered stories.

"People are out there wondering: What ever happened to Grandma's land?" said Loretta Carter Hanes, 75, a retired genealogist. "They knew that their grandparents shed a lot of blood and tears to get it."

Bryan Logan, a 55-year-old sports writer from Washington, D.C., was researching his heritage when he uncovered a connection to 264 acres of riverfront property in Richmond, Va.

Today, the land is Willow Oaks, an almost exclusively European American country club with an assessed value of $2.94 million. But in the 1850s, it was a corn-and-wheat plantation worked by the Howlett slaves -- Logan's ancestors.

Their owner, Thomas Howlett, directed in his will that his 15 slaves be freed, that his plantation be sold and that the slaves receive the proceeds. When he died in 1856, his European relatives challenged the will, but two courts upheld it.

Yet the freed slaves never got a penny.

Benjamin Hatcher, the executor of the estate, simply took over the plantation, court records show. He cleared the timber and mined the stone, providing granite for the Navy and War Department buildings in Washington and the capitol in Richmond, according to records in the National Archives.

When the Civil War ended in 1865, the former slaves complained to the occupying Union Army, which ordered Virginia courts to investigate.

Hatcher testified that he had sold the plantation in 1862 -- apparently to his son, Thomas -- but had not given the proceeds to the former slaves. Instead, court papers show, the proceeds were invested on their behalf in Confederate War Bonds. There is nothing in the public record to suggest the former slaves wanted their money used to support the Southern war effort.

Moreover, the bonds were purchased in the former slaves' names in 1864 -- a dubious investment at best in the fourth year of the war. Within months, Union armies were marching on Atlanta and Richmond, and the bonds were worthless pieces of paper.

The Africans insisted they were never given even that, but in 1871, Virginia's highest court ruled that Hatcher was innocent of wrongdoing and that the former slaves were owed nothing.

The following year, the plantation was broken up and sold at a public auction. Hatcher's son received the proceeds, county records show. In the 1930s, a Richmond businessman cobbled the estate back together; he sold it to Willow Oaks Corp. in 1955 for an unspecified amount.

"I don't hold anything against Willow Oaks," Logan said. "But how Virginia's courts acted, how they allowed the land to be stolen -- it goes against everything America stands for."

#afrakan #african #kemetic dreams #africans #afrakans #european american #european #europeans #land grab #land

15 notes · View notes

mogai-sunflowers · 2 years ago

Text

MOGAI BHM- Day 10!

happy BHM! today i’m going to be talking about the harlem renaissance and its significance! the harlem renaissance itself is a huge topic to cover, so this post will be more of an overview, with discussions of art and theater during the movement, and in future posts i will go through literature and music during the harlem renaissance!

Background and Context-

[Image ID: A black-and-white photograph of a group of Black people organized into two lines in a field. At the front of the two lines, there is a table and a few white people administering medical tests/attention to the Black people in the lines. End ID.]

Part of what sparked the Harlem Renaissance was a series of factors that compounded each other in the early part of the 1900s in America. Urbanization was one of these factors, and it describes the process of populations shifting from rural to city/urban environments. Early 1900s America saw a huge increase in the production of metal, the drilling for oil, and other industrial factors, which led to a large amount of skyscrapers being built and cities being developed.

Urbanization is not just the building of cities, though. It’s the population, economic, and cultural shifts that come with the building of cities. The environments people live in influence their financial situation, their culture, their education, and their access to certain resources and opportunities.

When mass urbanization happens, it’s usually accompanied by mass migrations, which is exactly what happened with what is now called the Great Migration, which lasted about 6 decades starting in 1910. The earlier part of the Great Migration was characterized by a huge amount of Black southerners migrating to the rapidly urbanizing North.

The Great Migration of Black people out of the South also coincided with a growth of new, revolutionary ideas about race and culture. The horrible legacy of white supremacy in America had completely severed Black Americans from their individual cultures in Africa. It caused, and continues to cause to this day, a difficulty for Black people to connect to cultural and racial pride- but in the early 1900s, that began to change.

A lot of Black people began striving to create racial pride out of the racial oppression they were experiencing- since many Black people didn’t know which culture they descended from, a movement to create the ‘New Negro’, as it was then called, out of a pan-African identity, began to grow. New, revolutionary ideas of what it meant to be Black in America- ideas rooted in pride and celebration rather than shame, took root as huge populations of Black people moved northward to growing cities.

In 1919, a series of deadly race riots, later known as ‘Red Summer’, combined with the renewed outrage many Black people had towards their inhumane treatment after experiencing much better treatment overseas at war, led to increased awareness of a racial reckoning in America, and the Harlem Renaissance was afoot.

The Harlem Renaissance-

[Image ID: A black-and-white photograph of a large crowd of Black people all standing in front of a theater. The theater has a glitzy, light-up sign that says “LAFAYETTE” and is strewn with a few signs that say “HALLELUJAH!”. End ID.]

Centered in the city of Harlem in New York, the Harlem Renaissance was a Black cultural revolution. It was a national rebirth of Black pride and it involved the birth and growth of Black literature, art, music, culture, and pride.

Black music thrived through the international boom of jazz music. Black art and literature grew through publications like The Crisis and Opportunity. Black sociology thrived and defined the movement.

The Harlem Renaissance influenced the Civil Rights Movement, the Black Power movement, and all areas of Black culture, and it had and continues to have international influences.

Harlem buzzed with the opening of many new, ritzy clubs where people enjoyed vibrant performances, and Black night life became a staple of the Renaissance.

Visual Art During the Harlem Renaissance-

[Image ID: A colorful painting by Aaron Douglas. The background is vibrant streaks of golden, yellow, and orange, and the subject of the painting is a Black man in a brown suit, wearing a hat. End ID.]

Visual arts flourished during the Harlem Renaissance. Formal art education institutions were very hostile to Black people, so they very rarely could attend them, meaning that mainstream art movements ignored and excluded Black people, Black artists, and Black art. The Harlem Renaissance challenged that.

Often called the “Father of African-American Art”, the most famous visual artist of the Harlem Renaissance is Aaron Douglas. Influenced by movements like Cubism, Douglas had four of his works, a series which he called the “Aspects of N*gro Life”, commissioned. They became very popular for combining modern art styles with indigenous African styles mainly from West African countries, and they depicted Black people in different areas of life, especially music and other movements which flourished during the Harlem Renaissance.

Considered to be the first Pan-African-American artwork, a sculpture called ‘Ethiopia’ was created inspired by Egyptian culture by artist Meta Warrick Fuller, who made the art dedicated to the contributions of Black Americans to the world of art. Printmaking also flourished as an art form during the Harlem Renaissance with artists like James Lesesne Wells, whose style combined both European and African influences.

Photography helped sustain the Harlem Renaissance- historically, documentation of Black experiences had only been about pain and suffering- and while remembering those experiences is important, they are not the whole story. Famous photographer James Van Der Zee captured never-before-seen Black joy, Black pride, in his thousands of beautiful photographs of the Harlem Renaissance.

Theater During the Harlem Renaissance-

[Image ID: A small, blurry, black-and-white photograph of a large crowd of Black people standing and cheering outside of a theater called the Savoy Ballroom, which has a big, lit sign advertising its name and shows names of shows playing there beneath that sign. End ID.]

In media like plays and stage performances, Black identity had always been extremely limited- racist legacies of minstrel shows and racist stereotypes in performances meant that Black people were only ever portrayed in horribly demeaning roles, usually not even by Black actors, and when they WERE portrayed by Black actors, those actors were treated terribly and were forced to demean themselves in their performances.

The Harlem Renaissance began to challenge that by giving Black Americans the opportunity to represent themselves in their own stage performances- instead of the minstrel stereotypes they’d been reduced to for a long time, many began writing their own roles, allowing themselves to give depth and humanity to Black characters, allowing Black characters to be the good guys, allowing them the ability to have complex stories and lives outside of stereotypes.

Black Americans established such famous theaters as the Savoy Ballroom and the Apollo Theater, eventually becoming just south-adjacent of the white-dominated Broadway. Famous writers like Langston Hughes began writing plays like ‘Mulatto’ and ‘The Sun Do Move’, and famous Black actors like Billy King and Theophilus Lewis became stars.

One of the most influential stage works to come out of the Harlem Renaissance was a play called Shuffle Along, and it challenged the racist exclusion that many Black actors faced on Broadway by becoming the first Black play in over a decade to reach Broadway. It portrayed Black people living their lives and gave them the ability to express the humanity that white Americans were trying to ignore.

Sources-

https://magazine.artland.com/art-movement-harlem-renaissance/#:~:text=The%20Visual%20Arts%20of%20the%20Harlem%20Renaissance&text=Douglas%20was%20influenced%20by%20modernist,from%20Benin%2C%20Congo%20and%20Senegal.

https://www.britannica.com/event/Harlem-Renaissance-American-literature-and-art/Visual-art

https://macaulay.cuny.edu/seminars/henken08/articles/r/e/n/Renaissance_and_Theatre_d0e4.html#:~:text=These%20performances%20were%20often%20shown,and%20The%20Sun%20Do%20Move.

https://historyoftheharlemrenaissance.weebly.com/the-apollo-theatre.html https://www.history.com/topics/roaring-twenties/harlem-renaissance

tagging @metalheadsforblacklivesmatter @neopronouns @genderkoolaid

#mogai bhm #mogai #mogai community #bhm #black history month #blm #black lives matter

50 notes · View notes

battyaboutbooksreviews · 5 months ago

Text

🦇 Faebound Book Review 🦇

❓ #QOTD Would you rather be an elf, fae, or human? ❓ 🦇 Yeeran is a warrior in the elven army and has known nothing but violence her whole life. Her sister, Lettle, is trying to make a living as a diviner, seeking prophecies of a better future. When a fatal mistake leads to Yeeran’s exile from the Elven lands, they are both forced into the terrifying wilderness beyond their borders. There they encounter the impossible: the fae court. The fae haven’t been seen for a millennium. But now Yeeran and Lettle are thrust into their seductive world – torn between their loyalty to each other, their elven homeland, and their hearts.

💜 I'm honestly struggling to write this review. Faebound is immediately spellbinding, the world-building vivid yet not too intricate. The writing is immersive, woven from threads of African and Arab cultures. This is the perfect read for Pride Month, especially for romantasy readers. The normalcy surrounding queerness and gender neutrality from the start is absolute gold ("[Their] gender was as flexible as the weather, accepted like the fall of rain, and change welcomed like the turns of seasons."); a breathtaking delight that fits perfectly into any fantasy realm. The story's sapphic relationship is layered and interesting; I only wish it was given more time to develop and blossom.

💜 Perhaps I'm biased (I have three younger sisters), but I absolutely love stories involving sisters. Yeeran and Lettle give the story balance, their distinct personalities and viewpoints of the world giving us insight without too much sway in one direction. The little "journal" at the end with everyone's handwritten notes was the perfect addition to the story; a cute glossary that's often necessary for hefty world-building.

💙 As much as I loved the writing, the characters, the themes, and even the setting...the plot felt lacking to me. There's a moment where the story slows as the characters grow complacent in their new surroundings, which would have been a great opportunity to delve into the mythology or culture. Puzzle pieces are set up a bit too obviously, too; the twists are easy to anticipate. Regardless, I'm curious to see how the story continues.

🦇 Recommended for fans of The Priory of the Orange Tree, Girls of Paper and Fire, Spice Road, and Legends & Lattes.

✨ The Vibes ✨ 🥁 Queer FMC/Sapphic Ships (Queernormativity) 🍃 Fantasy Fiction/Romantasy (Fae & Elves) 🥁 Dual POV (Sisters) 🍃 Rivals to Lovers 🥁 Afro/Arab World 🍃 First of a Trilogy 🥁 BIPOC Author

💬 Quotes ❝ And where there is value, there is power, and where there is power, violence will always brew. ❞ ❝ ‘You are the fire of my heart, and the beat of my drum. I am yours under moonlight. Until the rhythm sings no more.’ ❞ ❝ Love and hate are oil and water, separate but similar, and sometimes they swirl together, making it difficult to tell one from the other. ❞ ❝ You look for ways to gain power over feelings that make you powerless. ❞ ❝ ‘We must let the wind of change ease our flight, not hinder it,’ ❞

2 notes · View notes

arthistoryanimalia · 2 years ago

Text

More for #InternationalZebraDay:

Zebras by African TingaTinga artist Steven Mkumba (Makonde, b. 1965). Both oil/acrylic/ink on canvas, made in Tanzania in association with the Tingatinga Arts Cooperative Society.

1. Mkumba's Zebra, 2020 https://tingatingaart.com/products/mkumbas-zebra

2. Stripes and Pride, 2019 https://tingatingaart.com/products/stripes-and-pride

More about the TingaTinga school of art here.

#zebra #zebras #mammals #painting #TingaTinga #African art #Tanzanian art #Tingtinga Arts Cooperative Society #contemporary art #Steven Mkumba #International Zebra Day #animals in art

18 notes · View notes

carebearcody · 2 years ago

Note

5, 9, 12, 18 (and ily 🥰)

5. favorite form of potato?

omg they all go so hard wait…. it might have to be roast potatoes JUST but literally all forms of potato make me wanna bust a nut lemme not lie

9. do you have a skincare routine (and how many steps is it)?

yes!!! it’s v simple so i can still get it done on bad brain days but rn in winter it’s any form of cleansing balm/hylaronic acid/snail mucin (loml)/cerave moisturiser/spf 50, and then evenings is just aquaphor instead of spf and acne treatment on any breakouts xxx

12. brand of haircare/bodycare/skincare that you trust 100%?

ok so there’s two haircare brands i’d probably go for; a) is african pride bc i’ve been using their leave in conditioners/hair oils/curl creams since i was like 16 and it kept me sane when my hair went frizzy after i did my big chop so i love it <333 b) might have to be eco style or shea moisture bc that gel is crucial for my daily routine like i take that little tub with me everywhere in case i need to redo my edges 😭 but also shea moisture shampoo and conditioners are the bomb (esp the honey one!!)

18. your boba/tea order?

ok so confession i have only had boba once and i just got whatever my friend told me too!! green tea or lemon&honey/ginger tea when im ill or rundown is a lifesaver but summer when the iced teas come out??? yeah those slap i’ll stop drinking coffee for those xxx

also hi ilysm omg x

random asks!

#i ramble so much i’m so sorry 😭#asks #faves #claudia tag #trentskis #ask game

2 notes · View notes

suga-kookiemonster · 2 years ago

Note

hey ashley! hope all is well. i think I’ve seen you mention that you have natural hair if so i have a quick question. what’s some of your favorite products? i’m newly natural and so overwhelmed with all the different brands and product lines.

hey babe! yes, i do have natural hair. congrats on taking the plunge 👏🏾👏🏾🙌🏾 it definitely is overwhelming at first, and there are so many products out there, it's easy to become a product junkie. however, ultimately, trying things are the only way you'll know whether something works for your hair. everyone's hair reacts differently to different things, so never feel that there are only certain products you should use or there is only one method you should be doing on your hair. do whatever works for you! 💜

now to answer your question. for reference, i would say i have fine, 4a hair (if you're into typing) that's normal porosity, and i have a lot of it. so as the years have gone on, i've had to modify my routine to try my best to prevent single strand knots and to cut down on washing time. as of now, every wash day i prepoo to detangle, i shampoo my hair in twists, i deep condition, and then i style using the LOC method. i have a mix of products i'm trying to use up, but i'll highlight the ones i come back to.

Brands I love and have been using for years: Melanin Haircare, Soultanicals, Miche. All black-owned businesses ✊🏾

Prepoo: African Pride prepoo, but I ran out, so the past couple wash days I've been using my big bottle of Aunt Jackie's Knot on My Watch detangler

Shampoo: honestly, this varies. I have a lot of different ones that I've been giving a go, because I've been trying to find a clarifying one that i like enough to keep repurchasing. I do like the Miche shampoo, and when it comes to clarifying, I've lowkey been using Mane & Tail lol (we'll see if I repurchase that one).

Deep conditioners: This is where I don't really have product loyalty, because I loveeee deep conditioners, and love to try all different kinds! When it comes to brand, I'm always gonna rep Soultanicals--been using their products pretty much since I first went natural

Leave In: I've been using the Melanin Haircare leave-in for years! You get quality ingredients and more bang for your buck. Also, they're in Ulta and Sephora now, so it's much easier to just go in the store and get when you need it. I also love the Soultanicals Mango Dip and have been using for years. Recently, I've also been using that Aunt Jackie's Knot on My Watch detangler because I bought a big bottle of it from Marshall's because why not, it was like $11 for a gallon lol. And it actually works pretty well!

Oil: I'm not picky, but I use Melanin Haircare/Miche/Ecoslay. I've used Melanin the longest and it's the best bang for your buck, but Ecoslay smells really good!

Cream- depending on if I'm doing a twist out or more of a wash and go, I use Melanin Haircare or Miche or Eden Bodyworks. Melanin is more of a butter, but other brands like Miche and Eden Bodyworks and have more definition and hold, if that's what you're looking for. I think I don't really have a favorite--I'm just using up my stash lol

Gel: I used to really love Wetline Extreme when my hair was shorter. But now that it's longer and tangles easier (plus, I think they changed their formula), it's just not doing it for me anymore. I would still give it a try--it may work for you! That and Ecostyler, though Eco made my scalp tingle ominously the one time I've used it, so I can't really speak to how well it works. Other people love it though. I also have used As I Am curling jelly from the very beginning of my journey, though it's definitely more of a lightweight gel. I've also been using Dippity Do because I got it at Marshalls for cheap with my Aunt Jackie's, and it works pretty well, though it also has a lightweight hold.

Good luck babe! Hope you find something that works for you--let me know if you have any more questions 💜

#asks

5 notes · View notes

beautyfineshopparis · 1 year ago

Text

African Pride Shea Butter Miracle Growth Oil

Unlock the secret to luscious, healthy hair with African Pride’s Shea Butter Miracle Growth Oil.

About African Pride Shea Butter Miracle Growth Oil:

This exceptional hair elixir is a true game-changer, delivering transformative results that will leave you in awe. Infused with the natural goodness of shea butter, this growth oil nourishes your hair from root to tip, promoting strong, vibrant strands that defy breakage. Experience the miracle of beautiful, flourishing hair and embrace your crowning glory with African Pride’s Shea Butter Miracle Growth Oil. Elevate your hair care routine and witness the power of nature’s gift for yourself. Don’t wait any longer – indulge in the ultimate hair transformation today.

#Haircare Miracle #Shea Butter Oil #Growth Oil #Natural Hair Care #Healthy Hair Journey #Hair Nourishment #Hair Strength #Hair Transformation #Flourishing Locks #African Pride

0 notes

sayeedshail · 3 days ago

Text

#beauty #persona #care

0 notes

roomchailimited · 21 days ago

Text

Salvador’s Soul: Afro-Brazilian Culture and Carnival in Bahia

Salvador, the vibrant capital of Bahia in northeastern Brazil, pulses with a unique cultural heartbeat, steeped in Afro-Brazilian heritage, mesmerizing rhythms, and colorful celebrations. Often referred to as the “Capital of Happiness,” Salvador’s rich history, lively streets, and famous Carnival make it a destination like no other. Here’s a guide to experiencing the soulful essence of Salvador, from its Afro-Brazilian traditions to the iconic Carnival that fills the city with life.

Begin your journey in Pelourinho, Salvador’s Historic Center, a UNESCO World Heritage site that reflects Brazil’s colonial past and African roots. Cobblestone streets wind past pastel-colored houses, while beautiful churches showcase intricate baroque architecture. Pelourinho, which once held a dark history as the location of slave markets, now stands as a symbol of resilience and cultural celebration. It’s also a hub for capoeira (the Brazilian martial art and dance) performances and Afro-Brazilian drumming groups like Olodum, filling the air with rhythmic beats and energy.

Explore Salvador’s deep-rooted Afro-Brazilian spirituality at Bonfim Church and the Candomblé temples. Bonfim Church, famous for its Senhor do Bonfim celebrations, is a site where Catholic and Afro-Brazilian traditions merge. Tying colorful ribbons on the church’s gates is a local custom symbolizing faith and wishes. For a closer look at Afro-Brazilian spirituality, consider visiting a Candomblé temple. Candomblé, an Afro-Brazilian religion brought by enslaved Africans, is a powerful spiritual practice that honors African deities, or orixás. Witnessing a Candomblé ceremony is a memorable way to gain insight into the city’s deep cultural roots.

For a taste of Bahia’s culinary wonders, head to the São Joaquim Market. This bustling market is a sensory journey filled with exotic fruits, aromatic spices, and fresh seafood. Sample the iconic Bahian dish acarajé, a savory fritter made from black-eyed peas and filled with vatapá, a spicy shrimp paste. This dish, often sold by Baianas dressed in traditional white lace dresses, is a local favorite with roots in West African cuisine.

Visit the beaches of Salvador to experience the relaxed Bahian lifestyle. The city is home to some of Brazil’s most scenic beaches, like Porto da Barra, where locals and visitors alike soak up the sun and enjoy the tranquil waters. A bit further from the center, Itapuã Beach offers a more laid-back vibe, surrounded by palm trees and fresh seafood vendors. Spending time at these beaches offers a glimpse into Salvador’s connection to the sea and its coastal heritage.

No visit to Salvador would be complete without experiencing its legendary Carnival, one of the world’s largest street parties. Held annually in February or early March, Salvador’s Carnival differs from the Rio spectacle with a unique Afro-Brazilian focus. The streets come alive with blocos (street bands), electric trios (mobile stages with live bands), and samba-reggae rhythms. Olodum, a prominent Afro-Brazilian drum group, leads vibrant parades that fill the city with energy and pride. Dancing through the streets with locals, or simply watching the vibrant parades, is an unforgettable way to experience Salvador’s joyous spirit.

For those interested in art and history, visit the Afro-Brazilian Museum in Pelourinho. The museum highlights African influences on Brazilian culture, with displays of traditional artifacts, orixá statues, and artwork by Afro-Brazilian artists. It’s a fascinating space to learn more about how African heritage has shaped everything from Salvador’s art to its religion and festivals.

End your day in the lively neighborhood of Rio Vermelho, a cultural and culinary hotspot. Known for its energetic nightlife, Rio Vermelho is home to vibrant bars, seafood restaurants, and live music venues. Try the local moqueca, a coconut-based fish stew seasoned with dendê (palm oil), and enjoy live samba and bossa nova music. This neighborhood captures Salvador’s free-spirited, festive essence, making it a perfect place to unwind after a day of exploration.

Salvador offers travelers a journey through history, culture, and celebration, unlike anywhere else in Brazil. From its Afro-Brazilian roots to its world-famous Carnival, the city embodies a spirit of resilience, joy, and pride in its heritage.

For those looking to make the most of a trip to Salvador, agencies like Roomchai Limited, Bahia Adventure, and Brazil EcoJourneys provide tailored tours, immersive experiences, and guided visits to Salvador’s cultural highlights. These agencies offer opportunities to explore Salvador’s soul deeply, from intimate Candomblé ceremonies to culinary tours and Carnival experiences.

#Salvador #brazil #roomchailimited #travel #traveltips #dhakatravel

0 notes

pureblisscleanings-blog · 1 month ago

Text

Cultural Influences on Housekeeping Practices in Dade City

Dade City, a small but vibrant town in Pasco County, Florida, is a melting pot of diverse cultures, each bringing its unique traditions, values, and customs. Among the many aspects of life that reflect this diversity, housekeeping practices are particularly telling. The ways in which homes are maintained in Dade City are deeply influenced by the cultural backgrounds of its residents, offering a glimpse into the fusion of traditions that shape daily life.

Historical and Demographic Background

Dade City has a rich history that includes Native American, African American, Hispanic, and European settlers. Over time, this community has grown to include newer immigrant populations, particularly from Latin America and the Caribbean. Each of these groups contributes to the distinctive tapestry of cultural practices found in the city, including approaches to household maintenance and cleanliness.

Hispanic and Latin American Influences

The Hispanic population in Dade City, largely made up of immigrants from Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Central America, has significantly impacted local housekeeping practices. Cleanliness is often seen as a reflection of pride and respect in many Hispanic cultures, where maintaining a tidy home is essential for welcoming guests and showing hospitality.

Traditional cleaning practices in Hispanic households often emphasize natural remedies and homemade cleaning solutions. For example, vinegar, baking soda, and lime are common cleaning agents used for their effectiveness and eco-friendliness. Floors, particularly tile or wooden surfaces, are often meticulously swept and mopped daily. This dedication to cleanliness extends to regular deep cleaning, known as "limpieza profunda," especially before significant holidays or events, such as Christmas, Día de los Muertos, or family gatherings.

Additionally, cultural values around family and gender roles often influence who takes responsibility for housekeeping. In many traditional Hispanic households, women are viewed as the primary caretakers of the home, though this dynamic is gradually shifting as gender roles evolve in modern society.

African American Traditions

African American residents of Dade City also have a long-standing tradition of maintaining their homes with great care. Rooted in historical practices passed down through generations, these housekeeping habits are influenced by Southern culture, where cleanliness has long been associated with personal dignity and community pride.

In African American households, home cleanliness is often linked to spiritual well-being. For instance, many incorporate religious beliefs into their housekeeping routines, such as "spring cleaning" tied to religious observances or specific times of the year. Furthermore, the use of certain natural herbs or oils, such as lavender or sage, may be a part of rituals meant to cleanse the home both physically and spiritually.

Additionally, African American communities in Dade City place great emphasis on the front porch or yard area, a space that often symbolizes connection to the broader community. Keeping these areas well-maintained reflects pride in one's home and neighborhood. Many families ensure their yards are neatly trimmed, and outdoor spaces are often an extension of the living room, where socializing occurs.

European-American Practices

Dade City’s European-American residents bring housekeeping traditions influenced by Anglo-American culture, which often emphasizes efficiency and the use of modern cleaning technologies. Time-saving tools such as vacuum cleaners, dishwashers, and automatic laundry machines are staples in many homes, reflecting the prioritization of convenience in an increasingly fast-paced world.

Housekeeping in European-American homes is often approached pragmatically, with weekly schedules for cleaning tasks. For instance, "Saturday clean-up" is a tradition in many families, where each member contributes to tidying the house before the weekend's leisure activities. This communal approach to chores, while once more rigid, has adapted to modern lifestyles where both men and women share domestic responsibilities more equally.

Minimalism has also found its way into the housekeeping styles of many European-American households in Dade City, influenced by modern design trends. Decluttering and creating organized, aesthetically pleasing spaces have become popular in recent years, reflecting broader societal trends toward simplicity and intentional living.

Caribbean Influences

A growing Caribbean population, particularly from Haiti, Jamaica, and the Bahamas, has added another layer of cultural influence to Dade City's housekeeping practices. Caribbean cultures place significant importance on cleanliness and order, often incorporating elements of their tropical environment into cleaning routines.

In Caribbean homes, frequent airing out of rooms, mopping floors, and using natural ingredients like lemon, coconut oil, and even charcoal for scrubbing and disinfecting are common practices. Many families maintain a balance between traditional remedies and modern cleaning products, creating a unique hybrid of old and new.

Housekeeping in Caribbean households is also closely tied to community and religious practices. For example, many Caribbean families perform a deep cleaning of their homes in preparation for significant religious holidays, such as Christmas or Easter. This act is not only practical but also symbolic, representing renewal and spiritual cleansing.

Cross-Cultural Exchange and Adaptation

One of the most fascinating aspects of housekeeping practices in Dade City is the cross-cultural exchange that occurs in such a diverse community. As families from different backgrounds interact, they often adopt and adapt elements from each other's housekeeping traditions. A Hispanic family may begin using modern vacuum cleaners, while a European-American household might incorporate natural cleaning remedies like vinegar and lemon into their routine.

This blending of practices reflects the larger cultural exchanges happening throughout Dade City, where diversity is not just acknowledged but celebrated. In many ways, the evolution of housekeeping practices mirrors the broader societal shift toward greater inclusion and respect for different cultural perspectives.

Conclusion

Housekeeping in Dade City is far more than a mundane chore; it is a reflection of the community's rich cultural diversity. Whether through the use of traditional remedies, the adoption of modern conveniences, or the influence of spiritual and religious beliefs, the way people maintain their homes speaks to their heritage and values. As Dade City continues to grow and welcome new residents, its housekeeping practices will undoubtedly continue to evolve, shaped by the ever-expanding cultural mosaic that defines this unique town.

[email protected]

Call: - +1 813 838 2810

#housecleaningservices #housecleaningservice #usa #dadecityflorida #wesleychapel #dadecitymx #dadecity #wesleychapelfl #wesleychapelmoms #wesleychapelnails

0 notes

virgohairbraidingsalon0214 · 2 months ago

Text

Virgo Hair Braiding: The Best African Hair Braiding Salon in San Antonio

When it comes to getting beautiful, intricate braids that last, finding the right hair braiding salon is essential. For those in San Antonio, Virgo Hair Braiding Salon is the go-to place for high-quality, professional African braiding services. With a team of skilled and experienced braiders, Virgo Hair Braiding San Antonio offers a wide range of styles, ensuring clients leave the salon with stunning, long-lasting hairstyles.

Why Choose Virgo Hair Braiding Salon:-

Virgo Hair Braiding Salon stands out in San Antonio due to its commitment to excellence and the deep expertise of its braiders. The salon offers a variety of traditional and modern African hair braiding techniques, combining artistry with precision to create braids that are not only beautiful but also durable.

Professional and Experienced Braiders:-

At Virgo Hair Braiding Salon, the team consists of experienced African braiders who are highly skilled in working with all hair types. Whether you have natural, relaxed, or transitioning hair, the stylists know how to handle different textures to ensure that the braids are neat, secure, and long-lasting. Their expertise in various braiding styles allows them to cater to each client's unique preferences and needs.

Wide Range of Braiding Styles:-

From classic box braids to trendy knotless braids and intricate cornrows, Virgo Hair Braiding Salon offers a wide range of styles to choose from. Some of the popular options include.

Box Braids: A timeless favorite, box braids involve sectioning the hair into small squares and braiding from the root to the ends. This style can be worn long or short and is a great protective hairstyle.

Knotless Braids: Knotless braids are a newer version of box braids but are gentler on the scalp. With no knots at the base, these braids offer a more natural look and are more comfortable to wear.

Cornrows: Cornrows are close-to-the-scalp braids that can be styled in various patterns, from simple straight-back designs to intricate geometric shapes. Cornrows are versatile and perfect for both casual and formal occasions.

Senegalese Twists: These two-strand twists provide a soft, elegant look. They can be styled in various lengths and thicknesses, making them a flexible option for those who want a twist on traditional braids.

Goddess Braids: For those looking for a more regal style, goddess braids are thicker and bolder braids that create a standout look. This style is often adorned with accessories like beads or cuffs for extra flair.

Quality Products and Long-Lasting Results:-

One of the reasons Virgo Hair Braiding Salon is a top choice in san antonio hair braiding is the quality of the products they use. The salon prioritizes the health of your natural hair and ensures that only the best hair extensions, oils, and protective treatments are applied. This attention to detail means that clients not only walk away with beautiful braids but also benefit from healthier, stronger hair.

The salon’s braiding techniques also ensure that styles last for weeks without unraveling or losing their shape. Whether you’re looking for a style that will stay intact through busy work weeks or one that will look flawless on vacation, Virgo Hair Braiding guarantees results that will stand the test of time.

A Comfortable, Welcoming Environment:-

Virgo Hair Braiding Salon prides itself on creating a comfortable and welcoming environment for all clients. The salon’s friendly staff ensures that each client feels at ease from the moment they walk in. With a focus on customer satisfaction, the team takes the time to understand each client's vision and works closely with them to bring that vision to life.

Catering to the San Antonio Community:-

Located in the heart of San Antonio, Virgo Hair Braiding Salon has become a staple in the community. They cater to individuals from all backgrounds who appreciate the art of African hair braiding. Whether you're a San Antonio native or new to the area, this salon is known for offering authentic African braiding services that keep clients coming back.

Conclusion:-

For anyone in San Antonio looking for expert African hair braiding, Virgo Hair Braiding Salon is the perfect destination. With a team of professional braiders, a wide range of styles, and a commitment to quality and customer satisfaction, this salon delivers both beauty and value. From protective styles to bold, eye-catching braids, Virgo Hair Braiding is the ultimate choice for your next hair transformation. Whether you want classic box braids, intricate cornrows, or the latest knotless braids, Virgo Hair Braiding will leave you looking and feeling your best.

0 notes