The Celebration
Of Black "Colourfulness"
Within the Black Culture, there are numerous shades of black and brown skin tones due to the complexity of Black American history. From the unimaginable and consistent sexual assaults upon the enslaved, to refuge and relationships formed with Native Americans, to hidden and forbidden love of interracial couples, Black American History has crafted “colour” and its complexity.
A resilient culture of people that celebrate successes in every discipline and trade from science to art.
Moreover, a historical glance will provide evidence on how people of color navigated and continue to navigate the American caste system and systemic racism. After the emancipation, the majority of Black Americans were not treated fairly while “so-called” sharecropping and became trapped within the iron grip of Jim Crow laws. During the Civil Rights Era, Black Americans, with support from others, fought for their inalienable rights; yet with each, sometimes labored breath, they remain steadfast in the fight for their lives and social justice.
Black Americans have proven themselves to be a resilient culture of people that celebrate successes in every discipline and trade from science to the arts. Requiem for Colour is a tribute to Black ancestry by recognizing the sorrows and joys of a race that has fought for freedom with reverence and dignity, and celebrate the beauty of its fascinating “colourfulness.”
BACKGROUND
An iconic symbol inspired by the “SANKOFA” Adinkra symbol from Ghana, West Africa. The departing place for most Africans that ended up as slaves. Sankofa is a Twi word from the Akan tribe in Ghana. It literally means “to return and get it”. It depicts the importance of learning from the past.
The stripes represent the celebration of diversity as the strength of Black music/culture and the radiations of the morning sun. Each sunrise allows new beginnings.
- The red color represents the blood toil tears and sweat of enslaved blacks and contemporary Black martyrs who offered themselves as a sacrifice for equality and freedom.
- The gold color represents the richness of the Black music culture.
- The blue color represents freedom, intuition, imagination, inspiration, and sensitivity. A representation of trust, loyalty, and confidence in the Black culture/heritage.
- The star is a symbol of hope.
- The black color represents strength and power.