This is a clip of a river baptism in the St. Joseph community located in Franklin, Louisiana (St. Mary Parish). The man who captured this video is a family member of the preacher.
My grandfather is the man in the blue tinted shirt who assists with the baptism. He served as a decon at the church in this small community. My grandmother is the woman in all white with glasses (white feathered hat) who walks behind Mama Jackson as they help her to her car. This clip makes me emotional. My grandfather died when I was 8 years old, but I remember how much he loved me. He called me his little lump of sugar. My father has his face, and I look like my father. I spent a lot of time with my grandma in the years she became ill before her death in 2018 and I learned so much about myself from bearing witness to her light.
These are scenes from everyday black life that we take for granted because we live it. When I stand back and watch black people just being I'm in awe of how beautiful we are. I love how everyone lays hands on each other, the muted sense of joy, the smiles and hugs. When I say my people, this is who I speak of. I love that I'm a product of these people. Most of the elders in this video have transitioned, while the children in the background have become elders and most have moved away from this small community.
I hope that when you look at the ancestors that stand behind you, you find beauty in who you're from, where you're from; and that it heals you and gives you a sense of pride.
[reblogs are off because I don't own this video. I'm so happy that Mr. Wiggins captured this moment so that years later I could see my grandparents in their younger days (long before I was thought of). It makes me want to record more moments for my future kin to discover]
Bobby Beausoleil photographed by Peter Beard for Interview Magazine, ca. 1971-72.
"All of my tattoos were done while I’ve been in prison, all designed by me, many tattooed by me. Other jailhouse tattoo artists did the work in the places where I couldn’t reach with my right hand or see with a mirror."