#black archaeologists

[creatingblackcharacters]

Here's my attempt at a Lenora redesign, taking in mind your and sharonz-arty-corner03's advice. While I had to finish this in a bit of a rush, I tried to take all the time I could to properly depict her Black features. If there is something to improve in that regard I would love your input!

Lenora's original design is infamous due to resembling the mammy stereotype, perhaps more noticeable in her big apron (in fact, that got changed for overseas release, and future apparitions). Even without that, her original design can be a bit confusing, as without context, some have thought she's a chef for example, when in fact Lenora is a museum director and archaeologist! So, I wanted her design to reflect that. She tends to be inside the museum doing director work, so I wanted to go with that.

Turns out, there isn't a rigid consensus on museum uniform etiquette, especially directors. But something formal and cool felt like a must... And I remembered I read somewhere that Lenora's partly based off Pam Grier. And I remembered that scene in Jackie Brown where she's wearing a stunning black office suit with a white shirt with big lapels underneath, and thought it could fit Lenora very well! I did take some liberties and stuck with her canon clothes' pallete for now. Oh and, to me personally, when I think of museum staff attire I think of lanyards with identifications on them, hence I gave her one, too! I don't know if directors need one but it feels very visual.

I have seen people comparing her canon headband with mammies' so I took that out in case it could still be in bad taste. I went with a full afro, keeping a young Pam Grier in the back of my mind lol.

Lastly, I looked up Black archaeologists and/or museum directors for inspiration, so I wanted to share some of my finds in case someone is interested: First, the website for the Society of Black Archaeologists. It has a major focus on endorsing the respect of African and African Diaspora material culture, and to of course, highlight the efforts of archaeologists of African descent! They have some articles and even podcasts. I really liked their interview of Dr. Peggy Brunache, a Haitian-American archaeologist. Second, Kinshasha Holman Conwill (her resume is too long to list here, but she's pivotal for some very important Black culture museums in the US) and lastly Kimberly Camp (museum leader and amazing doll artist.)

Nice! It's clear you put a lot of time and research into this design! I actually kind of liked her headband, I wear headbands all the time lmao. It added color. But all right. I do think that she could use a little more color in her palette; maybe an orange and yellow flower, if not the headband.

I'm definitely gonna go look into that website though 👀 IKTR 😤 thank you for introducing me to this!

Society of Black Archaeologists: Promoting Academic Excellence & Social Responsibility

SBA works to resolve the ongoing systemic exclusion of Black and African scholars and communities from the field of archaeology.

[keepxgoing]

Bitchasses denied my job application and have the nerve to still send a wanted ad out. I would be fine if I knew that employers were actually screening applicants but since we live in a world where AI is the protocol (and have been for years) I know that’s not the case. Yes I’m entry level… but it’s weird that employers no longer care for employees that form a “loyalty” or longevity with their companies. That would include taking candidates that have a learning curve and training them, which they have no interests in actually doing. Which is ESPECIALLY NECESSARY FOR CULTURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT FIRMS because ain’t no body going to school for that degree but our dumb asses! So who are you going to hire babe?!?! But it is what it is. I hope your current employees find comfort in each other and the confidence in themselves to leave your lazy asses for not hiring the help that they need due to being over worked and over whelmed. As for you, I hope your position stays unfilled for the remainder of the year minimum. And your over worked employees all leave you and your projects never get finished.

[fromchaostocosmos]

John Wesley Gilbert: The First Black Archeologist

Was born in 1863 in Georgia. After he and his mother were freed from slavery he attended a segregated school where he was taught by the famous educator Lucy Craft Laney.

He worked at a teacher assistant for some years before going to a Baptist sponsored school called the Augusta Institute.

When the school became the Atlanta Baptist Seminary he went with them until he had to return to Augusta due to fiances where he returned to teaching.

He eventually enrolled as the first student in Augusta's Paine Institute where his mentor taught him Greek and helped to win admission to Brown University.

John W Gilbert was Brown's third Black graduate. In 1888 in unprecedented move Gilbert was hired as the first Black professor to teach at Paine Institute where he taught, including Greek, 5 languages.

He was then one of 50 students and the only Black students in American School of Classics Studies at Athens.

During the year he spent in Greece he participated in an excavation of Eretria, wrote a thesis on the demes of Athens, studied the excavated supposed tomb of Aristotle. He also did a survey on the topography Eretria that is incredibly valuable and is used till this day.

His work saw Brown awarding the A.M degree to him, the first time a degree of such type went to a Black person at Brown.

He was very active in the civil rights movement, in interracial cooperation, and the advancement of Black economics.

In his missionary work in Belgian occupied Congo he translated parts of New Testament from the Christian bible into Otetela.

He died in 1923 and is buried Augusta, Georgia.

He and his wife, Osceola Pleasant (1862-1922), had four children.

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