Black Is BEautiful @blkis-beautiful - Tumblr Blog

foxwin

“When I walk into a church, I only see paintings of white angels. Why?“ - Eartha Kitt

abstrackafricana-x-deactivated2

probably for the same reasons i lost 6 followers after posting a steady stream of classically beautiful women…

shoot-the-groom

I’ve never seen a black angel depicted with brown wings. It’s beautiful

glamorousacademiabyimangrace

Donyale Luna— the world’s first Black Woman supermodel written off because of her eccentric oddity that did not fit in the industry’s box. Today we are celebrating the first Black Supermodel, Beauty Donyale Luna!

Beyond her unapologetic demeanor and signature features, she became the first Black woman to cover Vogue.

blackgirlsreverything

TT: fittshair

blackexcellence

Today in Black Excellence: Maya Angelou—a literature titan whose 1969 memoir was the first nonfiction bestseller by an African American woman.

“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.” —Maya Angelou, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.

What was the early life of Maya Angelou?

She became a celebrated writer and Black icon, but it came from a childhood of tragedy. Born on April 4, 1928, in St. Louis, Missouri, Angelou was quickly exposed to racism as a child. Her parents split when she was young, and while visiting her mother, aged eight, she was raped by her mother’s boyfriend: her uncles killed the boyfriend in revenge. These horrors left Angelou mute for five years, as she discussed in an interview with Oprah, a close friend. At age 16, she gave birth and was forced to work grueling jobs to support her son—including fry cook, sex worker, and nightclub performer.

She recounted her traumas to close friend James Baldwin—fellow writer and Black icon. He challenged Angelou to write about her experiences, and she published the wildly successful memoir I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. It catapulted Angelou to international stardom and was nominated for a National Book Award in 1970. It remained on The New York Times’ paperback nonfiction bestseller list for two years—the longest record in history.

What made her such a Black icon?

Angelou was a close friend of Martin Luther King Jr., who was assassinated on her birthday in 1968. Angelou stopped celebrating her birthday for years afterward. In 1964, Angelou helped another activist friend Malcolm X in founding the Organization of Afro-American Unity.

Spanning over 50 years, she published seven autobiographies, three books of essays, books of poetry, and plays. Her 1971 poetry collection, Just Give Me a Cool Drink of Water ’Fore I Die, was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize. Because of her tireless work in literature and political activism, Angelou became widely respected as a spokesperson for the Black experience, particularly of women. You can even find her legacy in your pocket—she recently became the first black woman to appear on a US quarter.

Original portrait by Tumblr Creatr @inuqo

"I was filled with such deep gratitude while working on this illustration of Maya Angelou. Her talent, creativity, strength, power and resilience is inspiring to us all and I wanted to display how beautiful her Universe was. How important her words and life's journey was because it showed us that no matter how hard we fall, still we can rise".”

—@inuqo

twixnmix

Portraits by James Van Der Zee

Women and children, Lenox (c. 1909)

Harlem (c. 1920)

Alpha Phi Alpha Basketball Team (1926)

Billy (1926)

Untitled (Portrait of a Boy in a Sailor Suit) (1927)

Couple (1930)

Couple in Raccoon Coats (1932)

Sunday Morning (c. 1932)

Her Best Friend (1940)

Jean-Michel Basquiat (1982)

biscuitsarenice

Love and Romance

rob-pattinson

Pretty like Lupita when the cameras close in.

— BROWN SKIN GIRL (from “Black Is King”, 2020)

linda-from-target

That’s what I’m talkin bout ; midterms 2018

embracingblackculture

To our sisters: You are descendants of a line of unbothered, unwavering, uncompromising, unyielding, and fearless foremothers, who never hesitated or halted when it came time to work, protect, love, speak, risk, resist, or fight. Remember where you come from today. Because despite it all… Still. You. Rise. ✊🏿✊🏿✊🏿 ||

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by The State of Black Girls (@thestateofblackgirls) on Dec 22, 2019 at 7:04am PST

sojournersverdad

Grandmother, the alchemist, you spun gold out of this hard life, conjured beauty from the things left behind.

Found healing where it did not live. Discovered the antidote in your own kitchen.

Broke the curse with your own two hands.

You passed these instructions down to your daughter who then passed it down to her daughter.

#thankyou #gratitude #blackgirlhealing #blackselfcare #blackgirlmagic #warsanshire https://www.instagram.com/p/B5hDekTAPwf/?igshid=18xu7rzpth748

fckyeahprettyafricans

Ellen Meets the Amazing Nigerian Bobsled Team

Keeping making Africa proud!!!!

donidarkowitz

marinarasaucebukkake

Hilarious but fun science fact! The reason why this works is because of the rhythm syncopation. All of these songs (and most songs by black musicians) have 2/4 bass count. (1 and 2 and 1 and 2) rather than a 4/4 count ( 1 and 1 and 1 and 1) beat you see in other genre. This 2/4 count is similar to the human heartbeat. It’s why we have a a better grasp of rhythm in music and in dance.