Art of the Month

African history is rich and deep.

Some areas can trace the history back 350,000 years ago.

Even though much of the history has not been documented in traditional methods, stereotypes of African societies have been destroyed showing vibrant societies that functioned almost better than European ones.

We have seen evidence of ambassadors sent from the Kingdoms of the Kongo, Senegambia, Benin, Dahomey and more to Europe and other parts of the world.

In addition to representing their kingdoms, the people developed technologies, such as rice growing which contributed to world economies especially in Brazil and the southern part of the United States.

The healing practices from Dahomey and Angola were taken to Brazil and the Caribbean.

This month we show respect for the Golden Age of West Africa which coincides with Medieval Period in Europe.  While many African kingdoms were powerful in the gold trade, others through making cloth.  Some kingdoms had so much gold that when they went to trade it in the Middle East or Europe, they would go home with a third of the gold they brought because there was nothing left to buy.

There were ups and downs in agriculture, but the people were learning how to grow food during rainy seasons or drought.

Some of the great kingdoms and empires in the Senegambia region. The Ghana Empire, Mali Empire, Songhai Empire, Jolog Empire, Kaabu Empire, Kingdoms of Sine, Saloum, Baol, Waalo and Takrur.

This image shows the fertile land with rice fields, but that ship in the distant is bringing trouble.

Affirmation

When you are surrounded by negative things it is hard to find confidence. But you have to find it.  Believe that you can do it.

You were created for this moment.

Believe that you are capable and able.

Remember you are not alone.

Be confident.

Her Stories

In honor of Women’s History Month I will share more images from my Queens photoshoot. I chose women from history who had an impact on history.

Betsy Ross was a woman who ran a business during a time when most women could not own property and where not considered citizens. She was able to influence leadership and get some of her ideas on the able.

Elizabeth Griscom Ross was born in 1752 in Gloucester City, New Jersey was an upholster who made the first American flag. Her parents were Quakers and sent her to a state-run Quaker school. Afterwards she became an apprentice to an upholsterer.

She married John Ross (nephew of George Ross who signed the Declaration of Independence) in 1773.  This marriage caused her to break from her family and start a business with her husband.  Among her first customers were George Washington, for whom she made bed hangings. When the Revolutionary War started, John was a member of the Pennsylvania Militia. He died 1775.

Betsy worked at the upholstery business repairing uniforms, making flags, tents, blankets and other things for soldiers.

The legendary story is that Betsy convinced Washington to alter the six-pointed stars on the flag to five-pointed stars.

She married again in 1777 to Joseph Ashburn and they had two children. He died in an English prison during the war. In 1783 she married John Claypoole and they had five daughters.

Betsy stayed in business until 1827, after which she passed it on to her daughters.

She died in 1836 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Model: Mary Jane Cardona Lopez Photographer: Karen J Anderson

Book of the Month

An African American woman moved home to take care of her dying mother giving up the opportunity to experience a world beyond segregation. Zoraida Hughes Williams finds that some things have changed about her hometown of Fort Worth, Texas while some have stayed the same, like Hell’s Half Acre, an area where saloons, prostitution and gambling runs wild. Like most of the residents, she wants to keep her head down and stay away from trouble, but it comes in the unlikely form of an Anglo Baptist preacher. He messes up everything and almost gets them killed.

Available on Amazon.com

or Books2read.com which include Barnes & Noble, Apple, Indigo and more.