Zora Neale Hurston, a writer and folklorist, she is a product of The Harlem Renaissance, born in 1891 in Notasulga, Alabama. She attended Howard University from 1921 to 1924 and in 1925 won a scholarship to Barnard College, where she studied anthropology under Franz Boas, a German American anthropologist who is known as the father of American Anthropology. She graduated from Barnard in 1928 and for two years pursued graduate studies in anthropology at Columbia University. She also conducted field studies in folklore among African Americans in the South. Her trips were funded by folklorist Charlotte Mason, who was a patron to both Hurston and Langston Hughes. She would soon become a key figure of the Harlem Renaissance, best remembered for her novel, Their Eyes Were Watching God. She would make several trips to the American South and the Caribbean, documenting the lives of rural Black people and collecting their stories. She studied her own people, an unusual practice at the time, and during her lifetime became known as the foremost authority on Black folklore. Much appreciations to her and her legacy!
Black History 365 | # 197 Dandara Dos Palmares
Dandara Dos Palmares was heavy duty tough work NO JOKE. An afro-Brazilian warrior who knew serious Capoeira, she could fight with her bare hands or with weapons. She was fueled by dismantling slavery. Along with her husband Zumbi, Dandera defended the colonial Brazilian Maroon community (quilombo) of Palmares from Portuguese incursions. Quilombo, in colonial Brazil, is a community organized by “fugitive” slaves. Quilombos were located in inaccessible areas and usually consisted of fewer than 100 people who survived by farming and raiding. Palmares became economically self-sufficient by diversifying agricultural production. Colonial authorities perceived this self-sufficiency to be a threat to the system of slavery in Brazil and sought to either resettle or eliminate the maroons. The quilombo resisted incursions from both the Dutch and the Portuguese to survive for nearly a century. In 1678, Ganga Zuma accepted a peace treaty offered by the Portuguese Governor of Pernambuco, which required that the inhabitants of Palmares relocated to the Cucaú Valley. It also stated that people of Palmares who had been arrested were to be released and those born in Palmares were granted permission to be free granted permission to engage in commerce. But in exchange, the people of Palmares had to stop giving refuge to any new runaway slaves and must turn them over to the Portuguese authorities. Dandara and her husband are said to have opposed the deal because it did not end slavery, and in fact made Palmares complicit in its perpetuation. Ganga-Zumba was killed by one of the Palmarinos who opposed his proposal, possibly his nephew, Dandera’s husband, Zumbi. Dandera was cornered or captured in 1694, but she killed herself, preferring suicide to a return to enslavement. Peace! To her powerful legacy and the rebellious people of Palmeres.
Black History 365 | # 196 The Wayans Family
Shoutout to the Wayans family. From In Living Color to Poppa’s House The Wayans’ been making America laugh all while building a multi-generational brand of comedy. If you know you know, the Wayans have cemented themselves in black history, but this time they’ve been recognized by the NAACP for it. Congratulations on being inducted in the NAACP Hall of Fame.
Black History 365 | # 195 Kevin Grevioux
Kevin Grevioux is an actor, screenwriter, & executive producer. Hailing from Minneapolis, Minnesota, Kevin Grevioux was born in Chicago, Illinois and raised in various other states including Alaska, Oklahoma, Massachusetts (Boston), and New Jersey. He graduated from Howard University in Washington, D.C. with a degree in Microbiology, afterwards attending graduate school and this time working towards a Masters in Genetic Engineering. While studying, he congruently took screenwriting and cinematography classes as well, and by the time his first semester of grad school had finished, Kevin had chosen film as his preferred career and moved to Los Angeles, where he began to work as a writer. Grevioux also came to Hollywood where he acted in several films including The Mask, Congo, Batman Forever and Men in Black II. Kevin co-wrote and co-created the successful Underworld franchise, which was his first produced writing credit. He was also a co-producer on the series and played the character “Raze.” And he’s on Instagram! @kevingrevioux, peace!
Black History 365 | # 194 Mary Wallace
This woman, Mary Wallace was the first female bus driver for Chicago Transit Authority, 1974. She remained a bus driver for 33 years before retiring. Not to mention the first black female driver. “Miss Mary E. Wallace, 22, the new driver, said at a press conference yesterday that she likes the blouse and gray and blue colors of the CTA driver’s uniform, but would like it better if the bottom of the pants legs were flared.” …and fly. Shoutout to her!