The #TBT series is a collaboration between the Black Heritage Society of Washington State and Converge Media to give historical insights and perspectives into Black history and Black contributions in the Seattle area and Washington State as a whole.

By Stephanie Johnson-Toliver of BHSWA

There has barely been a day in the past few weeks when there was not an outpour of righteous community care. I wanted to reach back several decades to tell a story of how the Central Area black community huddled and massed to collectively nurture our families and friends through traumatic times like we’re experiencing today. There are no health-related catastrophes comparable or documented at the level we’re experiencing today.

Yes, the community has come together in wartime and there have been successful calls-to-action for a number of injustices or cruelties, and together the voices and active push back have brought effective change that has touched our quality of life…just nothing like now. I’ve heard from friends (Stacie Ford-Bonnelle and Jackie Peterson) and fellow Black Heritage Society members who know the importance for documenting our individual and collective response to living with and through COVID-19.

All humanity is affected and touched in similar ways…our commonality. Community energy is what unites us in cooperation and collaboration. In relation to all of this, our individual stories, actions and thoughts will deeply inform those who look back at how, as a community, we organized to preserve the collective and sustain ourselves. Who tells and records our story?

The examples I see for maintaining community well-being are centered around what nourish and lift us…culture, the arts and food.

Thank you:

– Seattle Community Kitchen Collective and Feed the People with Kristi Brown and Damon Bomar at That Brown Girl Cooks, Tarik Abdullah, Jimaine Miller and all at Soulful Dishes, Musang, and Guerilla Pizza…the entire community sees you. Yes, you too, Chef’s Trey Lamont and Edouardo Jordan.

– Creatives are being encouraged by Tashi Ko@Sol TV to bring their energy to 15-30minute segments of music, poetry, workouts, real talk, etc. The distractions, shares and entertainment are welcome.

– King County 4Culture always coming through to support the needs and aspirations of the arts and culture community.

– Wa Na Wari continuing to be creative with your outreach for community-building, joy and art.

– Africatown & Converge Media your heart and determination for keeping all informed, educated and lifted has not wavered.

There are others, thank you!

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Resources:

1. Black Heritage Society of Washington State, Inc., Seattle, WA www.bhswa.org

2. Museum of History & Industry, Collections, Seattle, WA www.mohai.org

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