Who's Afraid of George Walker

Who’s Afraid of George Walker?

George “Nash” Walker (1872-1911) was born in the aftermath of The Civil War in Lawrence, Kansas, the launching point of John Brown’s Raid on Harper’s Ferry, Virginia in the fall of 1859 and site of Quantril’s Raid in the summer of 1863. The post-Civil War demographics and abolitionist politics of the region empowered Walker in historically unprecedented ways and compelled him to transcend the limited expectations of Black people in the United States. He left Lawrence in 1893 with a medicine show and met Bert A. Williams (1874-1922) in San Francisco, California later that year. Soon after forming a partnership that would last seventeen years, the two were hired to appear as Africans in what was essentially a human zoo as part of the Midwinter Exposition in San Francisco until the “Real” Africans arrived from Dahomey.

In meeting the Dahomeans, George Walker and Bert Williams experienced majesty, sovereignty and beauty from an African point of view, one that did not acknowledge White exceptionalism or superiority. This inspired them to, in the words of Paul Lawrence Dunbar, “wear the mask,” and embrace the moniker of, "The Two Real Coons." In place of the luxury of preference, this choice was designed to draw in crowds and utilize the liminality of the dramatic stage to subversively exploit the contextual difference between the satire of their brand of comedy and the mockery of the minstrel tradition. Under the cloak of entertainment, this philosophy provided space to erode White exceptionalism that was/is a feedback loop of ignorance informed by the arrogance of unearned privilege. When people paid to see minstrel-style cooning, they surely got it and much more. The “more” was George’s understandably problematic, yet unprecedented insistence that audiences receive curated, Black entertainment that was full of universal examples of the human condition told from a uniquely Afro-American perspective.

ICYMI: The Last 2 Weeks in Black Writing and Culture (3/26-4/15)

The works of female artists are being featured in a resurgence of "women's only" or "group show" exhibitions across the country. Though the practice fell out of favor after the 1970's and 1980's, some curators are calling this reviving trend a "curatorial corrective," while female artists bristle at the thought of a "one and done" mentality that will not shift the overall landscape of the art world.

Angela Davis has spoken out about the candidates currently vying for the presidency, and she is "not impressed". In an interview with Democracy Now!, Davis discussed the need for a "new party" with a focus on labor, race, women, and other social issues she has advocated for throughout her career. She leveled critiques at each of the three frontrunners: from Donald Trump's fascism and white supremacist support, to Hillary's universalism as a  means to ignore race, to Bernie Sanders' "economic reductionism," Davis left nothing to question as to why she is remaining independent of offering endorsements to such a weak field for the nation's top executive office.

The Poetry Foundation recently offered a "Langston Hughes 101" discussion to introduce people to the work of a key figure in African American literary history. Several of his poems are summarized, and links to his own writings about poetry are also included. He is portrayed as a man of the community, and of the world. In the words of his poem "The Quick and the Dead" - "Better to be human / Than God - and lonely."

Black Panther #1, the new comic book series from Ta-Nehisi Coates and Brian Stelfreeze was released this week, and there are at least four reasons everyone (even people new to comic books) should check it out. The series promises a new storyline for T'Challa that pairs Coates' brilliant writing to a historically significant character in comic book culture.

We were saddened to learn of the passing of Kenneth Wiggins, creator of GeniusMode Inc. He was a visionary for the concept of Blacks in Tech and his absence will be greatly felt in the creative community.

And finally, if you're looking for trailblazers, check out The Root's 2016 Young Futurists who are making changes in the world around them.

Lifting As We Climb Revisited: The Clubwomen of the Kansas State Federation of Colored Women’s Clubs

On June 14, 1916, Mrs. Charles W. French of Newton, Kansas, rose from her seat during the 16^th Annual Session of the Kansas State Federation of Colored Women’s Clubs in Parsons, Kansas, to denounce the Jim Crow laws in the host city.  Mrs. French stated that “[the women], regardless of color be admitted to theatres, and that some step be taken to investigate the reason they could not attend the five and 10 cent theatres.”  The women, who had descended on the small southeastern city of Parsons from all over the state, were repeatedly turned away from local theaters during their time in the town. 

After some discussion, which one can only imagine was boisterous, the women approved a motion to appoint a committee to contact the county attorney.  Henrietta Harper served as president of the State Federation at that time, and was an undeniable force in the struggle for racial justice in a state with a storied history of “Free”-dom.  She selected the most steadfast and unwavering women to serve on the exploratory committee.  The women penned a critical reprimand citing the Kansas laws of 1874, stating that owners of “places of amusement” cannot refuse admittance to people based on race.