Every month staff of The Northwood Omniscient recommends something for students and staff. For the month of February, staff members recommended resources for Black History Month. Resources include notable figures, shows, movies, book and websites relating to Black history and culture.
Faith Ringgold
Artist
Faith Ringgold is a painter, mixed media sculptor, performance artist, writer, teacher and author. Ringgold started her career as a public school art teacher, later progressing to a full-time artist. She is most well known for her quilts which depict narrative scenes and storytelling. Her works are usually political, touching on many issues American and abroad. Many of her pieces also present Black culture and tell Black stories that have otherwise been left untold. Ringgold’s work is deeply rooted in her Black identity. In response to her work, Ringgold has received countless awards including the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Image Award.
-Ella Sullivan, Co-Editor in Chief
LA 92
Netflix
25 years after the fact, LA 92 follows the beating of Rodney King, a black man, by four police officers and the subsequent protests and riots after the police officers were acquitted by a court. The documentary is entirely composed of archival footage of the events that unfolded. This documentary is extremely relevant given the murder of George Floyd by a police officer was less than a year ago. This documentary explores the relationship between the black community and the police and what it means when that relationship breaks down.
-Torin Priddle, Co-Editor in Chief
Soul
Disney+
Marking Pixar’s twenty-third feature-length outing, Soul, is the story of a black jazz musician who finds himself dissatisfied with his life. The movie follows Joe Gardner, portrayed by Jamie Foxx, as he traverses the afterlife, searching for a way back to the land of the living. The movie made history as Pixar’s first black lead film and roots itself in black culture. Soul, since its release on Christmas of 2020, has received numerous accolades, notably winning “Best Animated Film” from the Black Film Critics Circle Awards and the Chicago Film Critic Association. Details about the movie’s development can be found in the Disney+ Original series “Inside Pixar.” This film is available to stream on Disney+.
-Ethan Westmoreland, Design Editor
The Hate U Give
Angie Thomas
Published in February 2017, Angie Thomas’ #1 New York Times Bestseller tells the story of sixteen-year-old Starr Carter who finds herself juggling racism, police brutality and activism after witnessing the shooting of her friend by the police. The book promotes Black history education through colorfully depicting black culture and community as well as accurately addressing the harsh truths concerning modern racism and how to fight back. The novel is geared towards the teenage community with its “coming-of-age” setting and heavier content but is a necessary read for anyone who may be unaware of the social injustice experienced by the Black community. The Hate U Give has received high praise and awarded the Coretta Scott King Award, the Michael L. Printz Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature as well as several Goodreads Choice Awards.
-Olivia McMurray, Staff Writer
Sammy Davis, Jr.
Entertainer
Sammy Davis, Jr. (1925-1990) was a Black icon in the performing arts industry. He was a singer, dancer, comedian, actor and musician, starting his career at just three years old. He was drafted into the army during World War II and was harassed verbally and physically because of his race. Davis is remembered for challenging the social standards of America in the 20th century. He broke racial barriers by doing things a Black entertainer would shy away from. Some of his notable moments breaking the norm include impersonating white people in a performance and having the first interracial kiss in a Broadway play. Davis’ song “The Candy Man” was at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 in June of 1972.
-Nellielou Errett, Staff Writer
Sekou Sundiata
Poet
Sekou Sundiata (1948-2007) was a Black Harlem-born poet who incorporated jazz, blues, funk and Afro-Caribbean music influences into his poems which were mainly recorded and performed as theatre pieces. Sundiata’s poems speak of his experience as a Black man in America, as well as Black culture and traditions. His poem “Blink Your Eyes” describes a Black man who is racially profiled by law enforcement: an issue that is still prevalent today. Sundiata’s poetry is a link between Black history and modern-day issues and is a great resource for anyone who wishes to educate themselves and listen to the voice of someone who knew what it was like to be a Black man in America in the 20th century.
-Lily Kate Witcher, Staff Writer
Sojourner Truth
Author
Sojourner Truth (1797-1883) was an author who is most famous for her speech Ain’t I a Woman? delivered at the Seneca Falls Convention in 1848. As a former slave, she was an outspoken abolitionist and women’s rights advocate. Truth spoke about the different types of oppression that Black and white women faced. She is quoted as saying, “That man over there says that women need to be helped into carriages and lifted over ditches, and to have the best place everywhere. Nobody ever helps me into carriages, or over mud-puddles, or gives me any best place! And ain’t I a woman?” Truth’s other works include The Book of Life and The Narrative of Sojourner Truth.
-Gianna Cacciato, Staff Writer
African American History Month
Website
This African American History Month website features a collection of historical pictures of prominent black figures, drawings of Black Americans, a picture of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, pictures of supreme court justices and Former U.S. President Barack Obama, Black soldiers and many more photographs of Black Americans in different roles in the past and present. The website is a great source for traveling back in time and reflecting on Black achievements in the United States. The website also features videos, audio recordings and other educational resources teachers and anyone wanting to learn more about Black history can access
-Staff Writer Loren King
The Remix: Hip Hop x Fashion
Netflix
Black visionaries and fashion pioneers explore the history surrounding entertainment culture in The Remix: Hip Hop x Fashion. Following the stories of style icons like Dapper Dan and Misa Hylton, the focus is on the impact that largely unknown black artists have had on mainstream American culture. Visionaries discuss fashion inspired by Hip Hop within Black communities and how culture born from the creativity of Black women is often appropriated. Released in 2019, the sixty-seven minute documentary highlights the forgotten pioneers of the entertainment industry.
-Revy Godehn, Staff Writer
