With her ebony skin and flawless style, Lupita Nyong’o has graced the covers of major magazines, television and awards shows, and is probably still figuring out how all this happened in such a short span of time. Outside of being a major breakout star and industry darling, this gracious up-and-comer has already taught us many lessons in what it means to be a beautiful, strong … [Read more...]
Why Africans Should Care About Solomon Northup & 12 Years a Slave
In the spirit of Alex Haley’s Roots, the much talked-about film, Twelve Years A Slave, brings to life the autobiography of Solomon Northup, a free Black man from New York who was kidnapped in 1841 and sold away from his family into slavery. I first learned of this story while designing the Freedom House Museum, also known as the Alexandria Slave Pen. Northup’s captor was one of … [Read more...]