Can I just say I am soooooo excited!! You ask me why?! Well in a couple of days I will be headed back to Mama Africa for a journey back home as I like to think of it!! Folks that know me, know that I LOVE to travel and that a few years before the pandemic I made a promise to myself that at least once a year I make one international!! Well on this trip alone, I will be visiting THREE countries…Portugal, Senegal, and Ghana!! Talk about collecting the stamps for the passport!!
As you know I love chronicling my travel journeys in many ways it is therapeutic and it allows me to keep a record of all the sights that I have visited over the years! And this is a special trip!! I always feel like I have this connection back to the continent that just makes me feel at peace!
So over the next couple of weeks, you can follow along with me as I chronicle my time in West Africa!! Stay tuned for a few mini-history lessons, powerful imagery, amazing food, and sooo much more!
I cannot wait to share this experience with you all!! And to get you in spirit check out the track below from Akon titled, “Mama Africa”!
Make sure to stay tuned each day for a daily dose of Dr. G’s #WestAfricanJourneyTravels !!
Another year to celebrate and reflect on a moment in history! Juneteenth is about freedom! On this day in 1865 two years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation, Union troops announced to over 250,000 unaware Black folks in Texas..that they were free! And over a half-century later in 2021, this day was officially named a federal holiday.
I’m still amazed and proud that I am here to see the holiday come to fruition. To think that freedom was delayed (especially for two years, any amount for that matter) is truly an injustice. I cannot even begin to imagine…BUT the dream was delayed not diminished. While the holiday is not perfect (there is room for growth), the history of Juneteenth will always be around, which is important! Freedom did come!
As an African American Studies professor, I am always talking about the experiences of Black folks in and out of the diaspora, particularly in popular culture. And when thinking about those experiences I cannot help but consider the past. As a people, we have encountered daily trauma, joy, pain, motivation, and so much more. These expressions are projected in many ways, many speaking to the ultimate goal…simply being free!! This freedom is shown through our music, food, tv shows, films, language, and so much more. In our own unique way, we have been able to unapologetically give ourselves permission to be empowered and live free in spite of what might be happening in the world.
In the spirit of celebrating being free and living in one’s purpose, I have gathered a few options of some good books to read, a few movies to watch, and some podcasts to add to your morning commute that speak to being FREE! Check them out below:
Books
On Juneteenth ~Annette Gordon-Reed
We Are Each Other’s Harvest Celebrating African American Farmers, Land, and Legacy ~Natalie Baszile
Four Hundred Souls ~Edited by Ibram X. Kendi and Keisha Blain
Magic Enuff ~Tara M. Stringfellow
Shoutin’ in the Fire ~Danté Stewart
Night Flyer: Harriet Tubman and the Faith Dreams of a Free People ~Tiya Miles
I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness ~Austin Channing Brown
Movies/Film & TV Series
Miss Juneteenth (2020)
Beyond the Canvas-Art: Black Women Lead (2023)
Pose (2018-2021)
Mending Walls: The Documentary (2022)
The Learning Tree (1969)
High on the Hog: How African American Cuisine Transformed America (Netflix)
Juneteenth: Celebrating Freedom and Legacy(CNN) [Airing June 19 at 10pm ET/PT]: The third annual special will feature musical performances and conversations with John Legend, Patti LaBelle, and Smokey Robinson discussing freedom, progress and recognizing the people that paved the way.
Additional documentaries, films, and television shows (provided by VCU News)
Now we cannot leave without offering some reflections on popular food and drinks that many folks consume during this celebration. During Juneteenth celebrations it is customary to partake in a feast, but particularly red foods take center stage. Red symbolizes the resilience from bondage. As noted by Chef Chris Scott who spearheaded the first James Beard Foundation’s Juneteenth celebration, “the red symbolizes the blood that was shed by Black Africans and Black Americans during slave capture, slave travel, and slave trade here in the state and in the Caribbean.” Some of the common foods found on a Juneteenth menu include:
Strawberries (especially strawberry soda pop)
Sorrel
Watermelon
BBQ
Red beans and rice
Red Velvet Cake
Deviled eggs
Remember these are just the basics, it is up to you what you want to include, you can even make your own creations or remix a recipe. Just make sure it’s with family and friends as you celebrate and reflect on the notion of freedom!!
As an extra bonus check out this past episode where I talk with my friend and academic colleague about why Juneteenth Matters!!
So I completed a 2-week Writing Sprint retreat last week, and boy was that an awakening experience. Nothing like working in a community with others who have similar goals and pursuits. I also enjoyed the accountability of making sure I stayed on task. I will admit my body was in shock considering I had just finished the semester and jumped right into this retreat, but needless to say, the benefits outweighed the very minimal cons.
So for a couple of days this week, I took a few days of reprieve and chill time. I honestly needed to just take some days to do nothing, I had been on 100 for an entire semester, that I just needed a break. Lord knows I felt some guilt for not doing work for those few days, but it also felt good to just wake up with no agenda.
So often academics do not give themselves time to recalibrate and reset, but trust when I say it so necessary! It’s no point running on fumes and expect to be productive. And especially as a Black woman in the academy, I gotta make sure to take care so that I can make sure to tell my story and ensure that others can do the same.
This week I’ve been getting back into the groove, and it feels good to get back into the zone! Back to the Sister Night chapter, and grinding out these episode breakdowns. As I noted in an earlier post, this summer I am primarily dedicated to writing for the book and a couple other projects that are in the works. Everyday that I put pen to paper (or fingers to the keyboard), I am getting one step closer to the goal.
I’m feeling good, I’m feeling excited, I’m amped for this journey! Well let me get back to it!
What a day!! While today was a productive one, I had to fight for this productivity. Word of the day… Distraction!! Each day I try to give myself some goals to work with and it just seemed like everything wanted to get in the way. Mix of stress, a little bit of lingering imposter syndrome, and I will admit some fatigue.
I think this is such a huge project, that I am not giving myself some “grace” throughout the process. Now I realize out of the gate during this process, there will be some ups and some downs. I just need to learn how to better navigate the downs. But as I said earlier, I was productive even if I had to fight for it. A win is a win!!
Taking part in the #WellAcademic Writing Sprint has also been super helpful. Having a community of like minds sharing and giving their support really helps to get through each day. They have been some great cheerleaders!
One word at a time…One sentence at a time…One paragraph…One Page…One Day at a Time!!
It’s Day 2 of the Reclaiming Her Time: The Book Journey!! Another productive day in the writing game! I really felt the juices flowing today, so when I say I was riding the wave … I was moving and shaking!
Now I know I dived right into this new adventure on yesterday, so I just wanted to give some backdrop to what is taking place! So this “Reclaiming Her Time” journey is all about my first book manuscript titled, Reclaiming Her Time: Exploring Black Futures in the Black Female Superhero…when I say I am super excited about this project words cannot even begin to express! This project is very much like my baby. You gotta feed it, nurture it, give it sustenance and so much more! Never did I think I would get an opportunity to write about something that I treasure and love so much….Black Female Superheroes, but the day has come.
I am currently working on a chapter about Regina King’s character Sister Night/Angela Abar in the HBO/Max series “Watchmen.” Her specific story in this award-winning television series is one that engages with many topics including self-agency, being perfectly imperfect, historical trauma, family legacies, and so much more. Watching her story play out is one that inspires, excites, and adds another layer to the greatness that is a Black woman!! She is one of the many Black female comic book heroes that I will be examining in the book.
So over the summer, you will get a chance to see how this all plays out. The inner workings, the highs and lows, and all the wins!! I am super amped that you will be a part of this journey with me!!
Today starts a new personal and professional journey! Over the next couple of months, I will be sharing my writing journey as I begin the completion of my first book manuscript project. As part of being a university professor, I have embarked on an evaluation process called tenure and promotion. Thus, writing and completing the book is essential to the evaluative process.
Now I will say this I am a mix of emotions from excited, to anxious, to nervous, to invested, to even being curious! So with each post, this will be like a check-in or place for accountability. Writing these posts will help me to focus and be honest with myself. Some days will be good, some days may be just blah, and some days will be a mess. Each day will bring me closer to the final goal, which is a completed book project!
Photo by Jessica Lewis ud83eudd8b thepaintedsquare on Pexels.com
So today’s post is to bring you along on this journey, give you some insight, and prepare you for a roller coaster ride (hopefully you hang in there with me)! Coinciding with this new beginning, I also started on another journey, something like a journey within in a journey. While there is a larger journey and goal, I will also take some small ones that will definitely go towards the larger end goal. With that said, I completed my first day of a Summer Writing Sprint that I am participating in with Well Academic! For two weeks during a dedicated time I will be writing with other scholars across the map. Nothing like being with a group of like-minded thinkers and writers getting together for a structured time to get the work done!!
You know what?? I made it through!! Day 1 was a success, I completed my daily goals and was able to map out what I will do on tomorrow!
Not too much more to say, except I look forward to taking you on this journey! Keep in mind the days will vary, so just think of each day as a new surprise! Feel free to drop any words of wisdom, inspiring quotes, or just to say hello!
On Tuesday, I will be participating in a roundtable discussion on “Medicine, Marginalization, and Resistance: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives.” As a 2023 Humanities Research Center (HRC) Fellow at VCU, the goal of the fellowship is to “foster intellectual exchange and to enhance the quality of research at VCU by exposing faculty to different perspectives and methodologies.”
The event takes place on March 12, 2024, 3-4:30 pm on the campus of Virginia Commonwealth University [Virginia Room B-University Student Commons].
Join us for a roundtable discussion of medicine, marginalization and resistance with the HRC’s residential fellows Grace Gipson, Adin Lears, Gabriela León-Pérez, and Victoria Tucker. The fellows will discuss their work during their 2023-24 residency, exploring health humanities topics ranging from Black womanhood and disability in Marvel Comics’ Misty Knight, conceptions of medicine and the body in late medieval England, the health and well-being of Indigenous immigrants from Latin America to the US, and the experiences and contributions of Black nurses in Virginia during the transition from segregation to desegregation.
The presentations will be followed by a panel Q&A. All are welcome!
Cover Art for Heroes for Hire #4 (May 2011), Art by Doug Braithwaite
Misty Knight (played by Simone Missick) in the television series Marvel’s “Luke Cage”
During the roundtable, I will be able to discuss one of the chapters in my book project on Marvel Comics “Misty Knight” discussing Blackness, womanhood, and disability.
If you are in the Richmond Area come and check it out!! You can register for the event here!
As we close out one month of celebration we continue and celebrate another one, Women’s History Month!!
Women’s History Month runs from Friday, March 1, to Sunday, March 31.
Similar to Black History Month, Women’s History Month started out as a local celebration in Santa Rosa, California — Women’s History Week.
In 1980, the National Women’s History Project (now known as the National Women’s History Alliance) led a consortium of women’s groups and historians in their efforts to lobby for national recognition. By February of that year, President Jimmy Carter issued the first presidential proclamation declaring the week of March 8, 1980, as National Women’s History Week.
While International Women’s Day, held on March 8, came first, Women’s History Month serves as an extension of ongoing campaigning to achieve gender equalitythroughout our world.
Presidents after Carter continued this proclamation of National Women’s History Week in March, until Congress passed Public Law 100-9 in 1987 designating March as Women’s History Month.
Every year, the National Women’s History Alliance chooses a theme to celebrate Women’s History Month. This year’s theme is:
This year’s theme recognizes women throughout the country who understand that, for a positive future, we need to eliminate bias and discrimination entirely from our lives and institutions.
Women from every background have long realized that an uneven playing field will never bring equality or justice. Many feel the critical need to speak up and work harder for fairness in our institutions and social interactions.
From Mae Jemisin to Frida Kahlo to Ruth Bader Ginsburg a number of important women from history are celebrated during this month, as well as emerging figures in the female rights and gender equality space.
Nothing like closing out the month with a couple of Black History Month events!! This week I am excited to share two events happening this week in which I’m taking part in!
First on the list is an event in which I will be celebrating with my sorors for “Delta Week” and serving as the featured speaker for their event, “Black Women in Hip Hop.”
This event takes place on today February 26th at 7:13 pm on the Virginia Commonwealth University campus (Richmond Salons I-II). Excited to take part in this annual event and drop some knowledge about a few Black women icons in hip hop!
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The next event takes place on Wednesday!! My department is hosting our annual Black History in The Making awards ceremony in which we recognize African American students at Virginia Commonwealth University, who exhibit what it means to be “Black History in the Making!”
The Black History in the Making Awards were founded in 1983 by Dr. Daryl Dance, the distinguished scholar of African American and Caribbean literature, who served as program coordinator during the 1983-84 academic year. Dr. Dance established the Black History in the Making Awards to recognize the achievements of African American students.In the founding year, Dr. Dance invited academic units and organizations to recognize a student who has made an important contribution. The nominating units established criteria for selecting recipients. Since the inaugural awards, more than 550 students have been recognized by more than 50 departments and organizations.
In addition to recognizing VCU Black students, this year our keynote speaker will be none other than Richmond-native, VCU alum and Chief Diversity Officer for the U.S. House of Representatives Dr. Sesha Joi Moon!
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:
Black Future Feminist 