From slavery until the early 1900's, black people were oppressed and made to feel as if they were nothing more than "The Help". Then a movement in Harlem sparked a release from the bondage of slavery and oppression.
The Harlem Renaissance became a turning point in history for Black America. Our culture was celebrated through the arts. Black people in the South read about clubs and music that were created and put on display for the the rest of the world to see. Southern blacks often didn't believe this was going on in Harlem. They thought it was a myth. The Southern blacks were still battling their own fight to show the South they existed but were still being brainwashed that they were inferior to whites while enduring segregation and Jim Crow laws.Yet and still they celebrated who they were in the privacy of their homes and communities. The gruesome demise of Black Wall Street in Tulsa, Oklahoma and the destruction of a small but prosperous black community in Rosewood, Florida began to make blacks fearful of becoming more than what the roles White America created them to be. Rosewood, Black Wall Street, and lynchings set an example of what happened when blacks became too "uppity" It became a fight for self preservation instead of a celebration of Black Excellence. Another movement hit in the late 60's. Blacks began to wear afros and celebrate Black America. Music promoted black pride and the 70's brought blacks on the big screen in roles other than slaves and maids. Foxy Brown, Cleopatra Jones, Dolemite, and other blackxploitation films that exploited African Americans but also gave them an opportunity to see people with their skin color on tv. The 90's became a time when it seemed black people finally became a part of mainstream society. Music promoted black power, strength, and our culture with the emerge of Hip Hop. Hip Hop was a new genre of music known for its catchy lyrics and beats that emerged in the late 80's. With the success of the Cosby Show blacks were dominating the screen in roles portraying successful business owners, doctors, and lawyers---roles that were played predominately bu white people. It was during this time black leaders, African culture, and music celebrated blackness. Blackness became marketable. Brands such as Cross Colours produced fashion that celebrated our African Heritage through Hip Hop fashions. African American movie and tv stars wore apparel proudly displayinga list of HBCUs. By the year 2000 Black Pride came to an abrupt halt. Rap artists became the face of black culture to the rest of the world. Black pride turned into nothing more than "urban culture" with sagging pants, offensive lyrics, and the exploitation of crime and drugs became what the rest of America assumed black culture to be. The rise of younger parents and grandparents who were not in the Baby Boomer generation gave birth to the New Age Millenials. Knowing Black history and culture and wanting to be proud of it and preserve it marked a new group of blacks called the "conscious" group. When all black Americans should be conscious and aware...not a select group. Now urban culture is the new black America. Urban culture is now a minstrel show displayed on the television and radios. We traded our Onks and African Medallions in for overpriced jewelry, men jeggings, and 24 inch hair bundles. Nothing about Urban Culture screams anything about my blackness or what I teach my children about their heritage but yet and still society keeps associating urban culture with my blackness. Let me define my blackness for those who are culturally ignorant: My blackness started with the mitochondrial DNA that birthed civilization, my blackness comes from the Kings and Queens of Africa who built pyramids, it is the blood that was shed as my ancestors were brought overseas and made slaves to a people who viewed them as merchandise. It is the struggle of my grandmother who marched fighting for equality and fair treatment. My blackness was in the blood of Sandra Bland, Treyvon Martin, and all the other black men and women who lost their lives at the hands of some racist or ignorant bastard simply because their skin was darker than the man behind the gun.My blackness comes from the Garrett Morgans, The Madam CJ Walkers, the Mary Mcloud Bethunes, and the Martin Luther Kings who had intelligence and a vision that they executed despite what was against them. My blackness isnt what you see on TV nor can it be defined by hip hop.My blackness isnt entertainment...My blackness is power, black girl melanin magic, and most important my blackness is a badge of honor that can never be removed from me because its a part of me not just the color of my skin. xoxo
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