Uncovering Our History Through The Relics Left Behind
Posted in Black history, and Photos
I was flipping through a box of photos of African Americans posing at fancy events when I decided to flip one of them over to see if it was identified. Most times, folks don’t bother…
Posted in Architecture/Buildings, Black history, and Music
The words in black lettering stood out very clearly among the other papers, documents and posters on the auction table. “Mr. Berry Gordy’s Office.” They were printed beneath architectural drawings of an office space created…
Posted in Black history, and Books
I had learned of Frances Benjamin Johnston’s photos after finding a ticket stub at auction for the 1900 Paris International Exposition. She had been commissioned by Hampton Institute to photograph the progress of a school that…
Posted in Black history, history, Military, and Uncategorized
My uncle Charles – whom some of us called Dye and his siblings called CW – was a Tuskegee Airman, but I didn’t fully recognize it until long after he had died. I should have remembered,…
Posted in Black history, and School
The small metal box had rusted on the top and gave no hint of what was inside. Opening the box, I found an even smaller and narrower box with an inscription that was partially rubbed off: “Young America…
Posted in African American women, Black history, and Ephemera/Paper/Documents
Some friends and I will be taking a Mediterranean cruise later this year, so I had to make sure my passport was up to date. While flipping through it, I was reminded of a comment from a stamp…
Posted in Black history, civil rights movement, collectibles, and food
I don’t have any young memories of eating a vanilla ice cream cone from the 28 flavors at Howard Johnson’s. My family could never afford to eat there or drop by for a bite on travels…
Posted in African American women, Black history, Figurines, Music, and Performers
I was surprised to see so many Betty Boop figurines at auction again. The week before, tons of them were spread out on more than a half-dozen tables at the same auction house but in another room.…
Posted in Black history, civil rights movement, Ephemera/Paper/Documents, and Politics
At first, all I could see inside the box were packets with a black outline of a city’s skyline. So I was obviously curious about what was in them. I pulled one of the packets…
