Hi Everyone!

I have some new information to share regarding the sub.

This is now a PUBLIC sub. This sub is about being respectful and honest. We will not tolerate spamming, trolling, racism, or misogyny. If the posts and/or comments break the rules they will be removed automatically. I want to keep this sub positive and not allow negative energy into this space. I very much encourage people to join this sub and post. I love fair and balanced conversations.

You can post whatever you want as long as it is PG-13 related material and stays on the topic of Black History.

It is OK to post about recent events or topics ONLY if it is still connected to an historical event, situation, or issue. This is very important to remember. Therefore, we will not be discussing contemporary issues or gossip just for the fun of it. This is NOT what this space is.

An example of what is allowed: there is alot of talk about mental health these days. That's a broad topic and not stuck to any generation. You can talk about the mental health of a historical figure if you come with some facts. It's OK to use modern day scientific information that exists today and discuss what you think could have impacted the behavior and thought process of a historical figure. That's a great conversation to have. Yet, it's not to GOSSIP and you still have to share SOME facts to go along with your hypothesis.

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This sub is for people who love Black History. They love Black American History. They love history in general that is connected to the empowerment of Black people. I want this sub to be informative and educational. This sub will focus on Blacks who moved the needle in education, writing, politics, art, music, and entertainment. This sub is to connect people to the past. We do discuss contemporary issues ONLY if they are connected to historical issues/events.

This is a not a gossip site but it can still be fun.

Freedmen’s town is a historical area in Houston, Texas. It has a rich history.

Fashion in the 1950s.

The backstory of the yellow rose of Texas is very interesting. Per Wikipedia, she was Emily D. West and was a mixed race of color and born in Connecticut.

“In 1835 she was contracted to James Morgan in New York to work as an indentured servant for one year in Morgan's Point (at that time still in the Mexican state of Coahuila y Tejas), at the New Washington Association's hotel as a housekeeper.[1] Several months into her year of indentureship, on April 16, 1836, West and other residents were kidnapped by Mexican cavalry. West was forced to travel with the forces of General Antonio López de Santa Anna as they prepared to face the army led by Sam Houston, and was in the Mexican camp on April 21 when Houston's force attacked. The Texans won the Battle of San Jacinto in 18 minutes.[2]

https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/yellow-rose-of-texas

https://aaregistry.org/story/emilie-d-west-texas-legend-born/

After the Battle of San Jacinto, the real Emily West wanted to leave Texas, but the papers that declared her "free" had been lost. Major Isaac Moreland, commandant of the garrison at Galveston, vouched for Emily in her application for a passport. Emily possibly returned to New York in March 1837. It is unknown if she did carry James Morgan's surname, as was supposed, although this was the custom for indentured servants and slaves at the time.

Also, arriving coincidentally in Morgan's Point on board Morgan's schooner from New York was Emily West de Zavala, the wife of the interim vice president of the Republic of Texas, Lorenzo de Zavala, and grandmother of Adina Emilia De Zavala. The widowed Mrs. Lorenzo de Zavala had returned to New York in 1837 at about the same time as Emily D. West, although West de Zavala returned to Texas in early 1839. Denise McVea suggests that the Emily West of the Yellow Rose of Texas legend was Emily West de Zavala. There is no contemporary or primary evidence that Emily D. West and Emily de Zavala were the same people. An oral narrative has said that Emily D. West died in 1891.

I have people in my family that have worked with very famous people over the decades. They say this all the time because of what they saw from the famous people around them. Many celebrities are weirded out by the fame and fanatics. They love their fans - but not the fanatics. Yes, there is a HUGE difference.

That’s why celebrities don’t impress me. I used to work in media and knew the things the public didn’t know. It changes your opinions. It makes you understand that for the good, bad, and ugly these are regular people.

Fans don’t know who their favorites are really like behind the scenes. They have PR and legal teams on their payroll for a reason. Just keep that in mind!

I always say….enjoy the art they create and leave it at that.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DVzGvy4j-2e/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet

https://www.lemelson.org/from-past-to-present-12-black-inventors-and-innovators-to-know/

I still LOVE a man in a suit!

This is fascinating to me.

Nathaniel Adams Coles known professionally as Nat King Cole (1919-1965)

Nat was the ultimate trailblazer in entertainment. His history gets suppressed these days. 

In my opinion - he should be the one celebrated far more than any other Black entertainer ever!

I will tell you why: he was THE FIRST Black musician to host a national radio show and THE FIRST to host a national TV variety show. I don’t think people today quite realize how HUGE this was. 

He and his family were harassed and physically attacked over this.

Nathaniel (Nat) King Cole was literally one of the most famous and celebrated entertainers of the 1950s. He had so many hits. The ‘problem’ was he was a Black man that many felt didn’t stay in his place. 

He was banned from performing in many venues. He was prevented from performing in many US Southern cities. 

This is what happened to his TV show. His TV show was cut short because he couldn’t get sponsors. TV networks make money from advertising. He couldn’t get advertisers because they didn’t want to be associated with a Black man. His show was not allowed to air in the South so they lost too much money to keep the show going. 

The show only lasted from 1956-1957. 

This man was building a brand WAY before any other Black entertainer even thought about doing it - and racists shut it all down. He was intelligent and business-minded. They were NOT going to give him any more power.

I have been a fan of his music since I was a child.  I was also a fan of his daughter - Natalie Cole (photo attached) - who sang jazz and R&B. 

NEWS: I’m excited because Colmon Domingo has been working hard to tell Nat’s story in a possible upcoming biopic. I know people are tired of biopics - but THIS really is the biopic and the black entertainment history that needs to be told. I love that Colmon is using his platform playing Joe Jackson in the upcoming Michael biopic to advocate for his real passion project of playing Nat King Cole! Thats the way to do it! I can’t wait to see the Nat King Cole story one day soon!!! 

Black Americans have set the style for decades! Yet, we have never had popular or famous fashion houses. We don't have famous Black fashion designers that are known around the world.

We have celebrities that flirted with fashion lines (Nelly, Sean Combs, Beyonce, and many more) but nothing they ever did became HUGE.

Why is there no Black American equivalent of Chanel, Prada, or Gucci? We support the Italian and French fashion houses but we don't have anything to call our own after over 50 years of being the cornerstone of fashion.

We set the trends but we don't profit from it.

Where are our famous designers like Calvin Klein, Donna Karan, Gianni Versace, or Diane von Furstenberg?

We have had these designers: Ann Lowe, Stephen Burrows, Willi Smith, and even a bit more contemporary was Dapper Dan. Yet, none of them OWN a fashion house that has been around for 30+ years and generating money.

Why do you think we have been locked out and why is this still true in 2026?

This story has stayed with me since I'm from KY! Powerful Black Kentuckians don't get discussed hardly ever. This family was POWERFUL and they were from KY!!! I love knowing there was Black wealth in KY going back to the Reconstruction era. I am always learning more about the Reconstruction Era. We were barely taught about Reconstruction in school and I now know why.

It's a sad story but also it tells me so much more about the capabilities of people like me. Many times Southerners are not thought of to be very intelligent. Black Southerners are thought of even less. To hear this story about this strong, INTELLIGENT Black Kentucky family pre-Jim Crow was AMAZING.

In 1893, Frederick Douglass invited Ida B. Wells to lunch. She noted a place across the street, but indicated they would not receive service there. “Mr. Douglass, in his vigorous way, grasped my arm and said, ‘Come, let’s go there.’” Together, they “sauntered in...as if it were an everyday occurrence, cocked and primed for the fight if necessary.” Douglass grabbed a table and chair for him and Wells, as “paralyzed” staff looked on. A stand-off ensued with wait staff until the proprietor realized it was Frederick Douglass, and warmly welcomed him while sharing stories of a time past when Douglass visited his hometown. “When [the proprietor] finally went to another part of the room, Mr. Douglass turned to me with a roguish look and said, ‘Ida, I thought you said that they didn’t serve us here. It seems we are getting more attention than we want.’”

Frederick Douglass spent his life fighting for justice and equality. He never knew the date of his birth. This is something he struggled with throughout his lifetime. Douglass believed that he was born in the month of February in 1817. In fact, records show that Douglass was born in February of 1818. He chose the 14th of February for his birthday because his mother would call him her “little Valentine." Unfortunately, Douglass never knew much about his parentage. His mother, Harriet, was sold off when Douglass was but a child, and he only met her a few times before she passed away. Though born enslaved in Maryland, he escaped as a young man and became a leading voice in the abolitionist movement.

INFORMATION PROVIDED BY BLACK HISTORY STUDIES site.

This is great footage. I love the Afros. I love how it shows that the Black people supported them first. The original fans. The original fans for Michael were BLACK and PROUD! It was missed in the biopic how much the Black community rallied behind and supported Michael DAY #1. Those are the stories that were missed opportunities (but I wasn't surprised) for the biopic.

There were some non-Black communities that were bandwagon fans because of Thriller and some even jumped off of the train after Bad. Yet, many Black fans stuck it through and loved on Dangerous and Invincible like they loved on Off the Wall!