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They Made Brown Beautiful

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Are You Darker Than A Paper Bag?

My Thesis examines how African American beauty was marginalized through laws over hundreds of years. The story examines some moments in time that left a mark in history on my people. These marks shaped what we think is beautiful and continues to limit us today.

Dark skin was not attractive and over the years we have tried to convince them to lighten their skin if they want to be. In 1910s and 20s, women like Nina Mae McKinney could not play mammy roles because of her light skin and European features. She was a talented singer and dancer who scored so big the all African American movie Hallelujah (1929) that she became the first African American to be signed to a 5 year movie deal.

With this deal, she was limited to playing maids and servants. She knew she would never make it as a star being a maid so she moved to France, which welcomed her with open arms.

Nina Mae McKinney is a woman who used her talent despite what others thought. Her beauty is not only in how she looks but in how she lived. She didn’t let them stifle her talent.

The only role models little African American girls saw on the big screen in the United States were maids and servants for many decades. Generations grew up thinking beauty was for fair skinned and Flaxen hair as one author put it. We didn’t think brown skin and kinky hair had much value.

But times are changing. My new book More Than A Color will tell the story.

There is a reason it is called a “classic”

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It evokes something in you that nothing else will. There are some songs that are attached to memories you can not shake nor do you want to. For as many people who have sung the Midnight Train to Georgia, my favorite will always be Gladys Knight and the Pips.

I love the story of loyalty, a woman sticking it out with her man, through ups and downs. Going where he goes. I don’t think I would do that but I love the story. Knight’s voice sounds authentic in the storytelling.

As I have grown older this music has built memory on top of memory. Even though I never saw him perform live, Frank Sinatra is a king in my book. There is something about his voice that sends me to another era. It wasn’t the one where he became a great performer, it was more like the one he created with his performances. He invited the audience to Come Fly With Me.

I chose LPs this week because they too are classic. My memory of LPs goes longer and farther than any other way of delivering music to people. I still own some.

Music is powerful and magical in that it can lift a mood or torture a soul. I was on the train the other day. A young girl enjoying her music offered me her headphones. It was so good she wanted to share.

Make music do that for you. Make your music so good, you can’t keep it to yourself. Let it lighten your steps and rock your world.

Where You Like to Go

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One of my favorite places has more than 100 museums which are free to visit.  It reminds me of what we have accomplished as a nation and some things we need to do better. It is one of the most powerful cities on the planet but it is still open to visitors.

It can majestic, beautiful and inspiring. It can be scary, unfriendly and confusing. Washington DC is lots of things to lots of people.

According to Fodor, don’t rent a car or grab a taxi. The travel site suggests you use public transit, like the Metro. I am a fan of the Metro and use it whenever I am in town.  But don’t get so attached to the transit system that you forget to look at a map.

One time my friends left an hour before me to get to the museum by train.  My ten-minute walk across the Mall got me there when they exited the train station.  It is a great city to experience on foot. DC

When you go make sure you plan a visit to the White House.  This is something you have to do in advance, but it is worth it.  There are many rules and high security, but to walk through history is the result. One year we went during Christmas which they allowed us to take our phones and take photos.  It was an amazing experience.

There are lots of places to visit in this city and you will not get to most in one visit.  Yet for me, the historical points keep me coming back.  A visit to Ben’s Chili Bowl or to walk through the campus of Howard University inspires me.

For me, DC is like a good book with chapter after chapter. It never ends.  There is always something more interesting to see.