BLACK CULTURE
Cultural Appropriation
noun
"The adoption or co-opting, usually without acknowledgment, of cultural identity markers associated with or originating in minority communities by people or communities with a relatively privileged status." (Dictionary.com)
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Much of popular culture in America derives from Black culture. We often see non-Black people making millions off of Black culture while Black people are labeled as thugs or deemed dangerous. Celebrities are praised while Black students get suspended for wearing dreads or braids. While Black culture is something to be celebrated, it also needs to be respected.
LEARN ABOUT BLACK CULTURE
Here you may learn some things you didn't know about Black culture. Black culture is part of the greater story of Black history, and the two are inextricably interwoven. Understanding the historical roots as well as modern day instances of various elements of Black culture encourages cultural appreciation and respect rather than cultural appropriation.
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"I wish America loved Black people as much as they love Black culture."
- Jalen Rose, ESPN Sports Analyst and former NBA player
JAZZ & BLUES
Long before Jazz and Blues became popular, they took form in Black culture in the south. In the late 19th century, the desire for music besides spirituals from the days of slavery gave rise to a new sound. Black performers played "blue" notes not on the standard scale. This music grew into Blues music which centered on longing for sorrows to go away. W.C. Handy was considered the "Father of the Blues" after he composed Memphis Blues based on the Blues music he had heard from amateur Black performers. White people took notice, and Blues then came to popularity. Jazz was similarly rooted in southern African American tradition, however it was the white Original Dixieland 'Jass' Band who said they had invented jazz. Black musicians challenged segregation between white and Black music as they grew in fame and popularity in the face of efforts to prevent Black musicians from playing to white audiences.
"Jazz and Blues" - Smithsonian
"The Painful Birth of Blues and Jazz" - Stephanie Hall, Library of Congress
HIP HOP &Â RAP
The DJs of the mid 1970s were the pioneers of hip hop. Kool DJ Herc is considered the creator after he sampled jazz and funk records and stretched their drum break. Many turntablists, including DJ Grandmaster Flash who in 2019 became the first DJ to win Sweden's Polar Prize, became popular at parties where breakdancing emerged due to the unique hip hop style. Kool Herc also started speaking and rhyming over the songs he made which became rap. Although the pioneer, Kool Herc didn't popularize rap. Run D.M.C.'s debut album in 1983 commercially made rap boom. Cultural appropriation soon became an issue as non-Black rappers came into the scene. Raised in the suburbs of Dallas, Vanilla Ice was famously dropped from the top of the hip hop charts after lying about his upbringing in an attempt to feign 'Blackness' by rapping about crime, drugs, and gangs.
"Rap/Hip Hop" - Tristan Michael Pelton Blackpast
"‘Keepin’ It Real’: Hip-Hop and Cultural Appropriation" - Evan Young, Medium
("The GetDown" and "Hip-Hop Evolution" are great documentaries on this subject)
MOTOWN MUSIC
Motown music refers to the music created by artists signed to Motown Records in Detroit (motor city). Music sensations such as Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, and Jackson 5 composed simple, catchy pop-crossover songs with roots in gospel and blues. Motown revolutionized popular music and brought Black artists to center stage, forever redefining style and popular culture. In a time where Black people were still forcibly segregated from white people, Motown music chipped away at racial prejudice as it produced top hit after top hit. Undeniably classic hits which remain well-known today include but are certainly not limited to "Please, Mr. Postman" by the Marvelettes and "My Girl" by the Temptations. Just to name a few more multi-platinum members of Motown, the Supremes, the Miracles, the Four Tops, and the House that Built Gordy each contributed to the evolution of music in America.
FUNK
Funk was originally considered somewhat of a taboo word to describe odor or unpredictable style. The term came to be associated with jazz improvisation and eventually defined a new genre of music with a syncopated rhythm working towards a 'groove.' James Brown is largely considered to be the creator of funk music, however he cited inspiration from another Black artist, Little Richard whose rock and roll band introduced funk and later joined Brown's band the Famous Flames. Funk amassed popularity in the 1970s and 1980s, and disco developed from the foundation of funk. Funk has been used to express the experience of being Black, and its rhythm is designed specifically to get people to dance. Some of the biggest names of funk include Prince, Rick James, Queen, Kool and the Gang, and Earth, Wind & Fire.
DANCE
Africans who were kidnapped and taken to the Americas kept their rich traditional dance cultures. Though enslavers banned dancing, enslaved Africans found innovative ways to dance such as foot shuffling and hip and torso movements to get around the restrictions. Black dance styles eventually made their way to large white audiences via both white and Black dancers although Black dancers were initially caricatured and ridiculed. Over time, dances created and influenced by Black people such as the Cakewalk, the Charleston, the Jitterbug, the Lindy Hop, and the Twist became popular mainstream dance styles. Tap dance gained popularity with the help of Black dancer Bill Robinson but only took off when white dancers performed it in movies. Today, Black created and influenced dance styles continue to be widely popular in the US and abroad in the forms of hip hop, break dancing, and much more.
"African American Dance, a Brief History" - African American Registry
HAIR
Black people's hair has been the subject of much discrimination which is intertwined with racial discrimination. Students are too often sent home or suspended for hairstyles with significant cultural roots. I encourage you to reflect on stereotypes associated with hairstyles primarily worn by Black people. Please see the following link:
BRAIDS
Braids have been traced as far back as 3500 BCE to the Himba people of Namibia in Africa. Braids throughout history have been a symbol of status as well as beauty. During slavery in America, braids were used like a map as a form of secret messaging for slaves to communicate to one another in order to escape slavery. Today, braids are still important as a protective hairstyle for natural hair to prevent damage from heat and humidity.
"Respect Our Roots: A Brief History Of Our Braids" - Siraad Dirshe, Essence
"The Wild, Amazing, True History Of Braids" - Barbara Herman, Refinery 29
"The Fascinating History of Braids You Never Knew About" - Maya Allen, Byrdie
DREADLOCKS / LOCS
Like braids, locs are a means for Black people to manage natural hair in a beautiful way. Locs are found in many religions around the world. References to locs appeared in 2500 BCE in The Vedas where Hindu god Shiva was depicted wearing them. In the Old Testament, Samson lost his strength when his locs were cut. The Rastafari Movement was based on Black empowerment and the Abrahamic covenant. Rastafarians wore locs to symbolize the return of Jesus as the Lion of Judah. Dreadlocks hold negative stereotypes and are a source of discrimination despite that they are considered beautiful and require significant maintenance.
"The History of Dreadlocks" - Princess Gabbara, Ebony
"What to Know About Dreadlocks: A Guide" - Del Sandeen, Byrdie
EBONICS / AAVE
Ebonics, also known as African American Vernacular English) is a dialect of American English which developed from colonial English and African languages. Ebonics follows strict grammatical rules which makes it distinct from standard American English. It is also a cultural symbol of slaves brought to America from Africa.
"Ebonics" - Encyclopædia Britannica
"What is Ebonics (African American English)?" - John R. Rickford, Linguistic Society of America
SOUL FOOD
Soul food is a cuisine which originated from the culinary creations of slaves from Africa. Skilled cooks combined African foods with whatever ingredients were available to create a distinct cuisine. Soul food is different from Southern food in that it holds much more flavor, and it often incorporates vegetables of African origin. The term soul food was popularized in the 60s by Sylvia Woods who is known as "the queen of soul food."
"Soul Food" - Anita Wolff, Encyclopædia Britannica
"9 Things You Need to Know About Soul Food" - Adrian Miller, Allrecipes
CREOLE FOOD
Creole food originates from Louisiana and is coined after the ethnic group called 'Creoles,' who described themselves as "cultural, racial and linguistic mixing of the emigrants of Europe during the colonial era." In the early 1900s, there was a cookbook craze. Creole food cookbooks of this time ignored the major African and Latin American influences on the development of Creole food labeled it as purely European food. Creole food often incorporates seafood. Some popular creole dishes include jambalaya, gumbo, and po-boys.
MAC AND CHEESE
'American' mac and cheese derives from a slave's culinary creation based on French cuisine. James Hemings was a talented chef introduced mac and cheese, creme brulee, meringues, and whipped cream to American cuisine. Hemings was an enslaved chef to Thomas Jefferson who brought him to France where he trained with French chefs.
"The History of Slavery in the Cultivation of Mac & Cheese" - Tara Okwemba
BARBECUE AND RIBS
Barbecue has roots in African, Spanish, and Indigenous American cultures. Slaves were often given less desirable cuts of meat from their masters which they learned to cook well. Slaves and Black people in the South played a major role in the culinary development of ribs, brisket, and other dishes involving initially less desirable meat cuts.
"The Soul of Food" - Christina Regelski, US History Scene
"Barbecue History" - Meathead Goldwyn, AmazingRibs.com
"How the Texas BBQ Boom Marginalizes Its African-American Roots" - Robb Walsh, First We Feast
ART
Aaron Douglas came to be known as the father of art using his European, West African, and Egyptian art influences to form a contemporary style that represented African Americans in a new light. The Harlem Renaissance in the 1920s gave painters, photographers, print makers, and other types of artists "who asserted pride in Black life and identity, a sense of freedom in expression with their art." Their works illustrated "dignity and resilience of people who work the land, the struggle for economic and civil rights, and African heritage." Art is no stranger to cultural appropriation, however. Pablo Picasso used African art that he obtained such as masks which influenced his most famous works. Never giving credit to African culture, he "stole and pushed the wrongful narrative that Black people are the ones who steal because white people are too busy being great."
"African American Art in the 20th Century" - Smithsonian American Art Museum
"Harlem Renaissance" - National Gallery of Art
"Picasso's African-influenced Period" - PabloPicasso.org
"The 10 Biggest Cultural Thefts in Black History" - Michael Harriot, The Root