Black History

`Sweetheart Gang’ Honors the Essential Black Mother

THE AFRO — There would be no Black Girl Magic without the Black Mommas who birthed them.

Published

5 years ago

January 24, 2019

By Sean Yoes

“Black Girl Magic” is a phrase that captures the undeniable power of Black women. But, there would be no Black Girl Magic without the Black Mommas who birthed them.

Tales from the Sweetheart Gang is a lovely series of love letters celebrating miraculous Black motherhood, from the hearts of daughters to their mothers.

“The book is simply a collection of chapters where each writer writes a story about her own mother; who she is, the kind of woman she was, how she helped them become the woman she is,” said the Rev. Dorothy Scott Boulware, the book’s author/editor and the managing editor of the AFRO.

[/media-credit] “Tales from the Sweetheart Gang” Book Cover.

“Some of it is funny stories, some of it makes you want to cry, some of it feels real familiar. They embrace the fact that often they find themselves saying some of the same stuff they use to hate to hear their mothers say,” added Boulware, who is the mother of four, grandmother of five and great-grandmother of two. The authors of the individual chapters are all personal friends of Boulware and three of them have also been AFRO editors.

“Talibah Chikwendu hired me at the AFRO as a novice general assignment editor,” Boulware stated. “Dorothy Rowley became the Washington, D.C. editor in 2007 and Tiffany Ginyard came as an intern around 2005 and also worked her way up to managing editor before she left to teach English.”

According to Boulware, each author was given only 30 days notice before they had to present the chapter with photos of their mothers and themselves.

“One of the writers and I have been friends for…55 years. So, these are friends I’ve gathered along the way, from school, from the neighborhood,” said Boulware who penned the ninth chapter about her mother Magruder Dorothy Scott.

Boulware said the name “Sweetheart Gang” is the manifestation of an enduring memory from her own childhood.

“This is real unique,” said Boulware with a laugh. “I was a foster child…when I was six my grandmother died and I was then raised by her best friend. The house that I went to was very different from the original house; there wasn’t a lot of touching and hugging and that kind of stuff there. (But), I was in a community with a lot of older people and the older ladies called me sweetheart and that always made me feel so much love,” Boulware added. “My thought as a child was that at some point when you got to a certain age you got so full of love…that you could spill it out on other people by calling them sweetheart…the older ladies at my church, in my neighborhood, they called me and all the other children sweetheart.”

Boulware is also the author of four other books: Keep Walking in Prayer…Until You Can’t Come Back; Mustard Seed Mondayz: Weekly Faithbytes For a Year; Have You Heard of the Holy Ghost and Mustard Seed Mondayz Too.

“This (Sweetheart Gang) is a total departure from everything else I’ve written,” Boulware admitted.

“I’m not even sure how I got the idea to do it. But, as it has evolved I began to understand how important it is, because people who always wanted to be published authors are now published authors.”

You can meet the Sweetheart Gang at a book signing event, 2-4 p.m., Feb. 13 at Nancy by SNAC, 131 W. North Ave. Tales From the Sweetheart Gang, can be purchased on Amazon, or on walkingworthynow.com

This article originally appeared in The Afro.

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Oakland Post: Week of April 17 – 23, 2024

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of April 17 – 23, 2024

Published

8 hours ago

April 19, 2024

Oakland Post

To enlarge your view of this issue, use the slider, magnifying glass icon or full page icon in the lower right corner of the browser window.

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Black History

Matthew Henson: Explorer Extraordinaire

Matthew Henson, a trailblazing explorer who overcame countless obstacles to leave an incredible mark on history. Born on August 8, 1866, in Charles County, Maryland, his journey is a testament to the power of determination and the spirit of adventure.

Published

2 days ago

April 17, 2024

Oakland Post

Matthew Henson (File Photo)

By Tamara Shiloh

Henson’s life began amidst the backdrop of post-Civil War America, where opportunities for African Americans were scarce. From a young age, he possessed an insatiable curiosity about the world beyond his small town. At the age of 12, he embarked on a journey that would change the course of his life forever when he joined a merchant ship as a cabin boy.

His most famous expedition was his journey to the Arctic with renowned explorer Robert E. Peary. In 1887, Henson joined Peary’s crew as a seaman and quickly proved himself to be invaluable with his skills as a navigator and craftsman. Over the course of several expeditions, Matthew endured extreme cold, treacherous terrain, and grueling conditions as he and Peary sought to reach the elusive North Pole.

In 1908–09, Peary set out on his eighth attempt to reach the North Pole. It was a big expedition, with Peary planning to leave supplies along the way. When he and Henson boarded their ship, the Roosevelt, leaving Greenland on August 18, 1909, they were joined by a large group. This included 22 Inuit men, 17 Inuit women, 10 children, 246 dogs, 70 tons of whale meat, blubber from 50 walruses, hunting gear, and tons of coal.

In February, Henson and Peary left their anchored ship at Ellesmere Island’s Cape Sheridan, along with the Inuit men and 130 dogs. They worked together to set up a trail and supplies along the way to the Pole.

Peary picked Henson and four Inuit people to join him in the final push to the Pole. However, before they reached their destination, Peary couldn’t walk anymore and had to ride in a dog sled. He sent Henson ahead to scout the way. In a later interview with a newspaper, Henson recalled being in the lead and realizing they had gone too far. The group turned back, and Henson noticed his footprints helped guide them to their destination. At that location, Henson planted the American flag.

Henson’s legacy extends far beyond his expeditions to the Arctic. He shattered racial barriers in the world of exploration and inspired countless individuals, regardless of race, to dream big and pursue their passions. In 1937, he was finally recognized for his achievements when he was inducted into The Explorers Club, an organization dedicated to promoting scientific exploration and field research.

Matthew Henson died in the Bronx, New York, on March 9, 1955, at the age of 88.

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Art

Marin County: A Snapshot of California’s Black History Is on Display

The Marin County Office of Education, located at 1111 Las Gallinas Ave in San Rafael, will host the extraordinary exhibit, “The Legacy of Marin City: A California Black History Story (1942-1960),” from Feb. 1 to May 31, 2024. The interactive, historical, and immersive exhibit featuring memorabilia from Black shipyard workers who migrated from the South to the West Coast to work at the Marinship shipyard will provide an enriching experience for students and school staff. Community organizations will also be invited to tour the exhibit.

Published

3 days ago

April 16, 2024

Oakland Post

Early photo of Marin City in the exhibit showing the first department store, barber shop, and liquor store. (Photo by Godfrey Lee)

By Post Staff

The interactive, historical, and immersive exhibit featuring memorabilia from Black shipyard workers who migrated from the South to the West Coast to work at the Marinship shipyard will provide an enriching experience for students and school staff. Community organizations will also be invited to tour the exhibit.

All will have the opportunity to visit and be guided by its curator Felecia Gaston.

The exhibit will include photographs, articles and artifacts about the Black experience in Marin City from 1942 to 1960 from the Felecia Gaston Collection, the Anne T. Kent California Room Collection, The Ruth Marion and Pirkle Jones Collection, The Bancroft Library, and the Daniel Ruark Collection.

It also features contemporary original artwork by Chuck D of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame group Public Enemy, clay sculptures by San Francisco-based artist Kaytea Petro, and art pieces made by Marin City youth in collaboration with Lynn Sondag, Associate Professor of Art at Dominican University of California.

The exhibit explores how Marin City residents endured housing inequities over the years and captures the history of plans to remove Black residents from the area after World War II. Throughout, it embodies the spirit of survival and endurance that emboldened the people who made Marin City home.

Felecia Gaston is the author of the commemorative book, ‘A Brand New Start…This is Home: The Story of World War II Marinship and the Legacy of Marin City.’ Thanks to the generous contribution of benefactors, a set of Felecia’s book will be placed in every public elementary, middle, and high school library in Marin.

In addition, educators and librarians at each school will have the opportunity to engage with Felecia in a review of best practices for utilizing the valuable primary sources within the book.

“Our goal is to provide students with the opportunity to learn from these significant and historical contributions to Marin County, California, and the United States,” said John Carroll, Marin County Superintendent of Schools.

“By engaging with Felecia’s book and then visiting the exhibit, students will be able to further connect their knowledge and gain a deeper understanding of this significant historical period,” Carroll continued.

Felecia Gaston adds, “The Marin County Office of Education’s decision to bring the Marin City Historical Traveling Exhibit and publication, ‘A Brand New Start…This is Home’ to young students is intentional and plays a substantial role in the educational world. It is imperative that our community knows the contributions of Marin City Black residents to Marin County. Our youth are best placed to lead this transformation.”

The Marin County Office of Education will host an Open House Reception of the exhibit’s debut on Feb. 1 from 4 p.m. – 6 p.m.. All school staff, educators, librarians, and community members are encouraged to attend to preview the exhibit and connect with Felecia Gaston. To contact Gaston, email MarinCityLegacy@marinschools.org