While the city of Houston may be known for some famous celebrities, their basketball team, as a Black Mecca, the fourth most populous U.S. city, it also houses some prominent murals dedicated to the Black community. Everything from Black boy joy, to unsung military heroes, to a U.S. first these murals are shining bright! Check them out…
Ketanji Brown Jackson (Finnegan Park-4900 Providence St.)
Social Equity (405 Main St.)
Black Mount Rushmore (The Breakfast Klub-3711 Travis St.)
Zero Hunger (710 Crawford St.)
The Steam Crosses The Path (the Julia C. Hester House-2020 Solo St.)
The Old Soldier (Buffalo Soldiers National Museum-3816 Caroline St.)
George Floyd (3112 Ennis St.)
Whether you live in H-Town or stopping through for a visit, make sure to check out these murals! While you are at, go ahead and get a selfie with them too :-)!
Another exciting week of trailers headed your way!! And, just in case you missed a few of them on Super Bowl Sunday I included them here. See this week’s trailers below:
Welcome Home, Franklin (Streaming on Apple TV+ February 16th)
Iwájú (Streaming on Disney+ February 28th)
Scoop (Streaming on Netflix April 5th)
Knuckles (Streaming on Paramount+ April 26th)
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (In theaters May 10th)
Happy Valentine’s Day to all my BFF Family and Friends!! As a way of sharing my appreciation, here is a music playlist to get you in the spirit!! Enjoy!!
Here is a playlist I created called “Black Love Through Song” on Spotify:
Just a little something to get you in the mood for today and even for the rest of the week and month!! Happy V-Day!! Enjoy and Spread the Love!!
Black spaces like museums, cultural sites, and landmarks have always held a special place personally and professionally. These spaces and sites hold the memories, embody the knowledge, and offer a place to be at peace. As noted by Joy Bivins, director of collections and research services at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture “Black history museums began to exist in the mid-20th century as a response to Black Americans not being in existing museums.” Therefore, it is essential that these spaces and places exist!!
So if you are thinking about a roadtrip, wanting to take the family on an excursion, or just need a place to (re)explore, make a visit to one of these notable museum spaces:
Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History(Detroit, MI): Through dozens of permanent and visiting exhibitions, over 150 learning and engagement programs, as well as education and research opportunities for adults, children, and visiting scholars, The Wright inspires visitors toward greater understanding, acceptance, and unity by reflecting on the triumphs and tragedies of African American history.
National Center for Civil and Human Rights(Atlanta, GA): The National Center for Civil and Human Rights is a museum and human rights organization in Atlanta that inspires people to tap their own power to change the world around them. The Center’s iconic exhibitions feature the papers and artifacts of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.; the history of the civil rights movement in the United States; and stories from the struggle for human rights around the world today.
The Legacy Museum: From Enslavement to Mass Incarceration(Montgomery, AL): On the site of a cotton warehouse where enslaved Black people were forced to labor in bondage, the Legacy Museum tells the story of slavery in America and its legacy through interactive media, first-person narratives, world-class art, and data-rich exhibits. Travel through a comprehensive history of the destructive violence that shaped our nation, from the slave trade, to the era of Jim Crow and racial terror lynchings, to our current mass incarceration crisis—and find inspiration in our soaring Reflection Space and world-class art gallery.
Hampton University Museum(Hampton, VA): Founded in 1868, the Hampton University Museum is the nation’s oldest African American museum and one of the oldest museums in Virginia. With galleries dedicated to African American, African, Native American, Asian and Pacific art and artifacts. The museum contains more than 9,000 objects representing cultures and people from around the world. Within its fine arts collection is the largest existing collection of works in any museum by the artists John Biggers, Elizabeth Catlett, Jacob Lawrence and Samella Lewis.
Mary McLeod Bethune Council House(Washington, DC): This house was the first national headquarters of the National Council of Negro Women, Inc. (NCNW) and was Mary McLeod Bethune’s last home in Washington, DC. From here, Bethune and the NCNW spearheaded strategies and developed programs that advanced the interests of African American women.
Little Rock Central High School National Historic Park(Little Rock, AR): Explore the stories, people, and places that make up the moments of Central High’s desegregation by the Little Rock Nine and learn how the sacrifice and struggle over a half-century ago have provided opportunities and opened doors to those seeking equality—and education—around the world.
Mama Dip’s Kitchen(Chapel Hill, NC): Founded in 1976 by the Mildred Cotton Council Mama Dip’s Kitchen is a longtime fixture serving traditional Southern country cooking from breakfast to dinner plus Sunday brunch.
International African American Museum(Charleston, SC): The International African American Museum tells the unvarnished stories of the African American experience across generations, the trauma and triumph that gave rise to a resilient people.
Just know, this is just snapshot into where you can go!! Trust me when I say there are plenty more!! See For Yourself Here!
Here are a few new museums to be on the lookout for:
Just in case you might have missed it or you just want to enjoy a fan favorite for the second time!!
It’s that time of the year again where AMC Theatres is offering moviegoers a chance to see fan favorites for only $5 this Black History Month. AMC has announced their Black History Month $5 Fan Faves promotion set to run through the entire month of February, offering four different movies that celebrate Black culture and feature Black filmmakers, writers and actors.
The promotion is available at 175 AMC locations across the U.S. showing a different curated film each week of the month. Each week of the promotion in February, AMC Theatres will select one of the curated films for two showings a day. The included movies are:
February 2-8: “The Equalizer 3”
February 9-15:“Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse”
February 16-22: “The Color Purple”
February 23-February 29:“Soul”
“Black filmmakers and actors have given the world some of the most inspiring and captivating cinematic experiences, and that tradition has continued over the past few years with some amazing films that span multiple genres,” in a statement from AMC.
Moviegoers can check their local theatre’s participation and get tickets online at amctheatres.com.
On last night I had an opportunity to attend the 24th Black History Month Lecture put on by VCU Libraries. Dr. Shirlene Obuobi, M.D., a Ghanaian-American physician (cardiologist) and cartoonist, served as this year’s speaker, delivering a lecture/talk on “Narratives & Identity: Comics As Tools for Advocacy and Self-Reflection.” Talk about being hyped!! As soon as I saw the announcement, back in January, I was already intrigued… comics …. medicine….Black woman cartoonist and writer…YOU GOT ME!!
Dr. Obuobi’s talk touched upon so many important issues and conversations. Many of these included being a Black woman physician, her experiences during pre and post medical school, patient-care, the big picture of traversing the medical field, battling insurance companies, universal healthcare, and the role of comics in telling these stories. I have always been of the mindset that comics are one of the greatest mediums for telling stories, giving voice to the voiceless, and highlighting global and national issues. And to see the way that Dr. Obuobi incorporates many of her own personal experiences within the medical field really shines a light that is often dim. In many ways through her comics we are getting a snapshot into her career.
Not only was I thoroughly impressed with her talk but to see how she has been able to weave her personal and professional through a variety of outlets, everything from her regular contributions on “Well + Being” (via The Washington Post), being featured in the Medical University of Vienna’s Art, Action, Attitude/Body exhibit, as well as numerous academic journal articles.
As a self-taught artist, Dr. Obuobi is exuding #BlackGirlMagic!! Check out some of the panels below:
When I say I was in a total #FanGirl moment watching this presentation/lecture, just pure amazement!! The little Black girl in me was jumping for joy!! Dr. Obuobi’s lecture was inspiring, entertaining, engaging, and super informative!!
#FanGirlMoment…Dr. Obuobi and myself holding her novel “On Rotation”!
In addition to her work as a cardiologist, Dr. Obuobi is a brilliant writer, her first book a romance novel titled “On Rotation” hit shelves June 2022. Her second novel, “Between Friends and Lovers” is set to premiere July 2024!
To find out more about Dr. Obuobi, check her out on the following social media outlets:
This is going to be an exciting week!! We jumped into a new month and many of our faves are returning to screens this week!! Even dropped a few late spring/early summer features!! Check out the latest trailers below:
Season 3-Abbott Elementary (Streaming on ABC February 7th)
A Soweto Love Story (Streaming on Netflix February 14th)
Churchy (Streaming on BET+ February 15th)
Season 2-Will Trent (Streaming on ABC February 20th)
Nothing like hearing or watching a great story! While I may have finished my formal educational training, I am always open to learning and becoming more informed about the history and experiences of Black Americans. So continuing in the vein of Black History Month celebrations just wanted to share a few television specials and documentaries to check out! This set of television specials and documentaries range from civil rights icons, to origins of gospel music, to exploring the racial wealth gap, to Black war heroes, to being Black in space!
Shuttlesworth (PBS): This feature-length documentary explores the life and legacy of perhaps the most fearless leader of the Civil Rights Movement—Birmingham’s Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth. When the KKK planted a bomb underneath his bed and he emerged unharmed, he was sure he was saved by God to lead a Movement. His work lead directly to the Civil and Voting Rights Acts—and inspired freedom movements around the world. You can check out the full documentary here!
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The Harlem Hellfighters (HISTORY Channel): The Harlem Hellfighters documents the hard fighting regiment of Black soldiers, who battled shocking racism at home and abroad while fighting the Germans in World War I. The Hellfighters, who saw more time on the frontlines than any other American regiment, were initially heralded upon their return only to quickly be discarded by the Army and country they served so valiantly. This one-hour documentary tells the important story of this courageous group, who included bandleader James Reese Europe and Purple Heart winner Henry Johnson. Their extreme bravery earned them the French regimental Croix de Guerre a century before the U.S. finally recognized their contributions to the war effort with a Congressional Gold Medal.
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Our America: In the Black (Hulu): This docu-series follows Microsoft Philanthropic specialist, Darrell Booker, who is on a mission to close the racial wealth gap through his digital inclusion movement in the hopes of economically transforming communities and small businesses that are impacted by economic inequalities. Watch the full episode here!
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The Space Race (NatGeo, Hulu, Disney+): THE SPACE RACE weaves together the stories of Black astronauts seeking to break the bonds of social injustice to reach for the stars, including Guion Bluford, Ed Dwight and Charles Bolden, among many others. In this documentary it profiles the pioneering Black pilots, scientists and engineers who joined NASA to serve their country in space, even as their country failed to achieve equality for them back on Earth. The bright dreams of Afrofuturism become reality in THE SPACE RACE, turning science fiction into science fact and forever redefining what “the right stuff” looks like, giving us new heroes to celebrate and a fresh history to explore. THE SPACE RACE debuts on February 12th.
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Gospel (PBS): From the blues to hip hop, African Americans have been the driving force of sonic innovation for over a century. Musical styles come and go, but there’s one sound that has been a constant source of strength, courage and wisdom from the pulpit to the choir lofts on any given Sunday. GOSPEL, the latest history series from Henry Louis Gates, Jr., digs deep into the origin story of Black spirituality.
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Sacred Soil: The Piney Woods School Story (Hulu): Here is a documentary that explores the intersection of childhood and adulthood through the eyes of young, Black high school youth from around the world as they work beyond society’s imposed limitations to achieve a top-notch education at America’s oldest African-American boarding school. Sacred Soil is set to debut February 23 on Hulu.
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As We Speak: Rap Music on Trial (Paramount+): Directed by filmmaker J.M. Harper, As We Speak features Bronx rap artist Kemba who explores the growing weaponization of rap lyrics in the United States criminal justice system and abroad – revealing how law enforcement has quietly used artistic creation as evidence in criminal cases for decades. Journeying through meccas of hip-hop, building the case for rap lyrics & Black artist protection via intimate conversations with rappers, academics, politicians, legal experts, and industry execs.
With this being Black History Month, I want to make sure I showcase the great work of African American past and present!! This is an opportunity to share some goodies while also becoming informed. Check out today’s shout outs:
Black Men Smile : A movement that “amplifies the revolutionary power of Black joy. We are committed to create a sanctuary where Black people authentically celebrate themselves.
SPGBK: Springbreak (SPGBK) Watches is a “designer watch company, based out of North Carolina, that provides an amazing variety of impactful, unique, & colorful watches. At SPBK we value, invest, & promote these key areas: Education & Teachers, Historical Black Colleges & Universities, Authenticity, and Supporting North Carolina & Black Owned Businesses.”
Black Future Feminist 