abichi

To celebrate black figures in all aspects of our community and history.

Film-Makers

• Spike Lee Highlighted black culture. His films are categorized by their poignancy, as they are unapologetic in their reflection of the social contexts surrounding them. “His work examines both the relationship between the black community and the world around it and, more introspectively, the relationship of the black community to itself” (heartbrokenzine). He has redefined the media’s understanding of race-based social and political issues like colorism and poverty. Some of his style touches are frequent use of double dolly shots and a signature catch-phrase to close out his movies.

The information on Lee and dash are from @heartbrokenzine on Instagram.

Musicians

• Aretha Franklin, Iconic song: Respect
• A$ap Rocky, Iconic song: Phoenix
• Ashanti, Iconic song: What’s Luv? (w/ Fat Joe & Da Rule)
• Beyonce, Iconic song: Drunk in Love
• Biggie, Iconic song: hypnotize
• Bill Withers, Iconic song: Lovely Day
• Da Rule, Iconic song: What’s Luv? (w/ Fat Joe & Ashanti)
• Death Grips, Iconic song: I Want it/I Need it
• Ella Fitzgerald, Iconic songs: Dream a Little Dream of Me (w/ Louis Armstrong), Cheek to Cheek (w/ Louis Armstrong)
• Fat Joe, Iconic song: What’s Luv? (w/ Ashanti & Da Rule)
• Frank Ocean, Iconic song: Lost
• Gil Scott-Heron, Iconic song: The Revolution will not be Televised
• The Jacksons, Iconic song: Can you Feel it
• Jean Knight, Iconic song: Mr Big Stuff
• Jimi Hendrix, Iconic song: Hey Joe
• Kanye West, Iconic song: No More Parties in LA
• Kendrick Lamar, Iconic song: Duckworth
• Leon Bridges, Iconic song: Texas Sun
• Louis Armstrong, Iconic songs: Dream a Little Dream of Me (w/ Ella Fitzgerald), What a Wonderful World, Cheek to Cheek (w/ Ella Fitzgerald)
• The Marvelettes, Iconic song: Please Me Postman
• Outkast, Iconic song: Hey Ya!
• Prince, Iconic song: Purple Rain
• Ray Charles, Iconic song: I’ve Got a Woman
• Rico Nasty, Iconic song: Roof
• Sam and Dave, Iconic song: It’s a Wonder
• Stevie Wonder, Iconic song: Sir Duke
• Tyler, The Creator, Iconic song: Gone Gone Thank You

The names paired with songs I got from @heartbrokenzine on Instagram.

Writers

Pauline Elizabeth Hopkins: novelist, journalist, playwright, historian, and editor

as a pioneer in the use of the traditional literary form of the romantic novel as a means to explore and challenge prevailing racial and gender representations that were foremost in the minds of middle-class African Americans in the early part of the twentieth century. In addition, during her tenure at the Colored American Magazine – one of the first major literary magazines targeted at a largely African American audience – she is credited with laying the groundwork for the evolving African American literary style that would later become associated with the literati of the Harlem Renaissance. She was the pioneer of african “lost world” fiction