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
The iconic symbol for Requiem for Colour: A Journey through Lament and Joy was inspired by the “SANKOFA” Adinkra symbol from West Africa. Ghana was the departing place for many Africans who later became enslaved in the Caribbean and the Americas. Sankofa is a Twi word from the Akan tribe in Ghana. It literally means to “return and get it,” which depicts the importance of retrieving knowledge from the past to improve one’s future.
The color palate of Sankofa’s stripes for Requiem for Colour celebrates diversity within Black music and culture.
- Red represents the blood that was shed by the formerly enslaved and contemporary martyrs who sacrificed themselves for equality and freedom.
- Gold represents the richness of life and the faithfulness in a God who is sovereign.
- Blue stands for intuition, imagination, and inspiration.
- Black is the color of strength and power—appropriate for such a resilient group of people.
Instead of Sankofa reaching back to retrieve a precious egg, as originally illustrated to represent “knowledge of the past,” the bird retrieves the African Lodestar of Freedom to symbolize hope.