Tag Archives: African American Men

Seneca Village

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The fifth grade read Maritcha: A Nineteenth-Century American Girl by Tonya Bolden.

It is a wonderful biography on the life of a young person who grows up in colonial America. She is living in New York and even though is Black comes from a family that is hard working and not enslaved.

Maritcha Lyons’ Grandfather Marshall owned property in Seneca Village. Seneca Village was a large Black successful town with a school, three churches, and up and mobile people living there. The village was shredded apart before the villagers eyes by the city officials who took the space to build Central Park.

My class created a mini Seneca Village out of tubes.

My class also created their own auto-biographies as a book report and presented them in class. The most successful part was seeing them share their stories with each other after school. They were honestly interested in each other and were asking questions that they were not able to ask in class.

The World is Yours

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I am at Bisa Butler’s show at Jeffrey Deitch’s gallery.

I went on the last day and it was packed with people.

I had fun taking pictures of people viewing her work.

Some people made fun while I took the photos:

The best part of my night was meeting two educators. One from New Jersey who was also a photographer and I also met a retired editor from Essence magazine. I also enjoyed meeting Bisa Butler.

E. Massey’s Barbershop

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I walked into E. Massey’s Barber shop because I needed change for the bus and met some of the finest brothers with the cutest accents. Todd, Mike, Holiday and the customer, Lonney.

It was inspiring to see that they were all African American men because in New York where I am from, the barber shops are usually owned by latino brothers.

I never have a reason to walk into barber shops and tend to think it’s more of a man’s world, so I really did try to avoid going into Massey’s but the Trophy shop next door did not have change.

When I entered, I felt kind of self-conscience because I was the only female in there but they made me feel like I was welcomed.  I can see why some New Yorkers glorify this southern mentality.

Hi, do you have change for 5 dollars?

Yes, I do.

And after that, change for a dollar? I need change for the bus.

Oh, I don’t have change for a dollar but if you use the vending machine, you can get change.

Okay, thanks!

You a photographer?

Yes. Can I take your photo?

Sure, I don’t care.

Do y’all care?

No.

I didn’t talk much because listening to them was a joy. The way all their words kind of slurred into each other, yet was separate,  was fascinating.  As they kept talking one of them asked:

You need a car?

No, I just want to take the bus.

You don’t drive?

No.

Where you from?

New York.

Oh, that’s where I’m from!…

 

I started taking photos of them. Then one of them took out their phone and begin to photograph me. In all my years of taking photos of people, this never happened, so it caught me off guard. It made me smile.

When I was leaving one of them, Mike, walked me out the door and made sure I was going in the right direction.

 

Mary Mitchell Family with Farmer David Haughton

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Mary Mitchell Family at the Farmers Market

Some of the Mary Mitchell Family smiling with Farmer David Haughton.

Farmer  David Haughton and his family always give the kids love and have extra patience with them. He and his lovely wife makes it their manner to talk to the children everytime they arrive. We took this picture after he cut a big watermelon for them.