The black experience is a unique one. Not every black person thinks the same or does everything the same way whether it’s hairstyle choices or where they worship. But we as black folks do have some things in common and many of them are part of the rituals that make up our lives. This is our living Black history – and that’s what we’re celebrating this Black History Month.
So many of us can bust a gut laughing when we think of a church service gone wrong (or too long), a fond memory of a family celebration (even the one where Uncle Johnny got drunk and upset the card table in the middle of a hotly contested game of Spades) or that time when our teenager came home with a hairstyle that made Willow Smith’s look conservative. Or what about that family vacation where the kids got lost, the parents got mad, Big Mama cursed everyone out and yet the whole family still had a great time? And of course, for those of us who went to HBCU’s, we didn’t just go for the stellar education – we also went for the pomp and circumstance of Black college football games, the fraternity and sorority parties and to carry on the tradition of generations of family that all attended the same Black college or university.
During this Black History Month on the Tom Joyner Morning Show and on BlackAmericaWeb.com we’ll dedicate every Thursday to those fond memories of black rituals that we all know and love. It’s our way to honor the celebrations and rituals that form the most important part of our history. Stay tuned: we’ll let you know how to join us on the air, via text or on the website to share your own memories.
