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and showcasing their natural beauty. These women captured our fascination with a new paradigm for modeling and beauty, which in turn catapulted the Black is Beautiful Movement.
In the book “The Artistic Activism of Elombe Brath,” historian Thomas Aiello documents the need for different fashion shows citing a story via Amsterdam News in the early 1960s. He cites Brath’s writing in promotional materials for the fashion shows. “We feel that our race has reached a new low point, in racial integrity, and its highest point in ridicule,” he explained, “so we have designed a show, which we believe reflects favorably upon our pride and beauty.” Aiello writes that he and those who worked with him wanted to restore pride in natural Blackness as an antidote to media teachings that physical features associated with Blackness were to be hated. “Slowly but surely, we will restore dignity to the words Kinky, wooly, nappy and most of all the word BLACK.”
Most doubt that AJASS could have had the success and appeal of their universal messages without the incorporation of the Grandassa Models into the theme and fabric of what they were doing.
However before the Grandassa Models could be staged for success, battles were being waged in the media laying the groundwork for the promotion of Black beauty. Brath used his pen and his two satirical comic strips at the Citizen Call newspaper (now defunct) to highlight and ridicule those who didn’t conform to the notion and challenged opposing voices to the narrative.
Sometimes the campaign of promoting Black is Beautiful led to big conflicts with prominent personalities on a national stage. In fact Jonathan Eig documents this in his 2017 book called “Ali, A Life.” Eig showcases how Brath challenged and belittled a young Cassius Clay (Muhammad Ali) in the editorial pages of the Chicago Defender for his strategy of disparaging jokes and mocking of Black fighters’ physiognomy. At the time the Defender was the most popular newspaper for people of African descent. In short the message was dynamic and far-reaching. AJASS used a multi-faceted approach to promote the Black is Beautiful movement. Histo-
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Regional administrators oversee HUD operations in New York City and field offices in Buffalo, Albany, and Newark, New Jersey. HUD plays a major role in supporting homeownership by underwriting mortgages for lower- and moderate-income families through its mortgage insurance programs.
“Regional Administrator Ampry-Samuel comes to HUD with a long and admirable record of service fighting on behalf of communities in support of housing and community development,” said HUD Office of Field Policy and Management Assistant Deputy Secretary Michele Perez. “She grew up in public housing, giving her an empathetic and deep understanding of the experiences and the needs of the Department’s most vulnerable customers. I am genuinely thrilled that she has again answered the call to serve.”
Ariama C. Long is a Report for America corps member and writes about culture and politics in New York City for The Amsterdam News. Your donation to match our RFA grant helps keep her writing stories like this one; please consider making a tax-deductible gift of any amount today by visiting: https://tinyurl.com/fcszwj8w
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